Plato's Apology 36 B - 37 ACounter AssessmentFree meals in the prytaneum | |
| And so the man proposes the penalty
of death. Well, then, what will you have
me propose as the
counter-assessment? Clearly that
which I deserve, shall I not? And what
do I deserve to suffer or to pay,
because in my life I did not keep quiet,
but neglecting what most men care for
-- money-making and property, and
military offices, and public speaking,
and the various offices and plots and
parties that come up in the state -- and
thinking that I was really too honorable
to engage in those activities and live,
refrained from those things by which I
should have been of no use to you or
to myself, and devoted myself to
conferring upon each citizen
individually what I regard as the
greatest benefit? For I tried to persuade
each of you to care for himself and his
own perfection in goodness and
wisdom rather than for any of his
belongings, and for the state itself
rather than for its interests, and to
follow the same method in his care for
other things. What, then, does such a
man as I deserve? Some good thing, men of Athens, if I must propose something truly in accordance with my deserts; and the good thing should be such as is fitting for me. Now what is fitting for a poor man who is your benefactor, and who needs leisure to exhort you? There is nothing, men of Athens, so fitting as that such a man be given his meals in the prytaneum. That is much more appropriate for me than for any of you who has won a race at the Olympic games with a pair of horses or a four-in-hand. For he makes you seem to be happy, whereas I make you happy in reality; and he is not at all in need of sustenance, but I am needy. So if I must propose a penalty in accordance with my deserts, I propose maintenance in the prytaneum. | Student name: |