Crito Is a Short Dialogue

Crito is a short dialogue written by an ancient Greek philosopher, Plato. The conversation between Socrates and his wealthy friend, Crito, revolved around justice and the suitable reaction to injustice. During that time, Socrates was convicted and was sentenced to death. He was put into jail at the Athenian prison, while waiting for the ship to arrive from Delos for a sacred mission.

It can be noted from the dialogue that Crito was one among the many wealthy persons who practiced bribery. When Socrates said that he was surprised the prison guard allowed Crito to enter, the latter simply replied that the guard was used to his visit and he has brought something good for him. I just entails that aside from Socrates, Crito has a number of friends inside the jail. He also sponsored Socrates' needs inside the prison cell.

It was also mentioned in the dialogue that Crito was so delighted when he arrived, seeing Socrates pleasantly sleeping. He has seen how Socrates lived his life with a simple, calm and happy disposition, despite of what had happened.

The dialogue highlighted how Crito has persuaded Socrates to escape. According to him, if Socrates will be executed, his friends' reputation, including his own, will be endangered because it will appear that they did nothing to save Socrates, and they favored money over him. He was worried about the opinion of the majority of people. He also said that they have friends from other cities that were willing to provide support. If Socrates will die, he will abandon his children, which was an act of unjustly fulfilling his parental obligation. In addition, he also mentioned that the court's decision on Socrates' execution was unjust and if Socrates will not flee, he was acting in cowardice for injustice.

On the contrary, Socrates refused to abide by his friend's argument. For him, it is not important to hear the public's opinion because they do not know the very essence of truth. He insisted that one should not pay evil with another evil. We should never do injustice. If we are going to study his ethical position, it has some similarities with the Christian doctrine. In Romans 12:17-19, it says: "If someone has done you wrong, do not repay him with a wrong. Try to do what everyone considers to be good. Do everything possible on your part to live in peace with everybody. Never take revenge, my friends, but instead let God's anger do it." If we are going to relate the dialogue to the common society, not a number of people are like Socrates. Probably, most will represent Crito's character. It is an open fact that civil disobedience is very rampant since the beginning up to the present time. If somebody has been accused of something that is punishable whether civilly or criminally, he will do everything just to be able to surpass the trial, even resorting to escape.

Concerning the value of the law, Socrates has shown his strong standpoint about respect to its decisions. For him, if one has the ability to choose whether to obey a law, then it is a way of destroying the power of the law. He considered disobeying the law as unjust because the people and the law should go together. The law will not exist without the people and vice versa. If he will escape, then, he will disobey the law. He believed that this will bring him in a wobbly position in his life after death. Again, if we are going to read the New Testament, the duties towards state authorities is mentioned in Romans 13:1-7,

Everyone must obey state authorities because no authority exists without God's permission, and the existing authorities have been put there by God. Whoever opposes the existing authority opposes what God has ordered; and anyone who does so will bring judgment on himself. For rulers are not to be feared by those who do well, but by those who do evil. Would you like to be unafraid of the man in authority? Then do what is good, and he will praise you, because he is God's servant working for your own good. But if you do evil, then be afraid of him, because his power to punish is real. He is God's servant and carries out God's punishment on those who do evil. For this reason you must obey the authorities - not just because of God's punishment, but also as a matter of conscience. That is also why you pay taxes, because the authorities are working for God when they fulfill their duties. Pay, then, what you owe them; pay them your personal and property taxes, and show respect and honor for them all."