It's not mine. I put it all on his conscience. Anyway, it's late,
we're wasting his time! To death, to death and no more discussion
about it.
ANOTHER:
They say he's a heretic and an atheist. To death. To death.
MELITUS:
Let them call Socrates.
(Socrates is brought in)
The gods be blessed; the plurality is for death. Socrates, the gods
condemn you through our mouth to drink Hemlock so that death will
follow.
SOCRATES:
We are all mortal. Nature condemns you all to die in a short time. And
probably you will all have an end sadder than mine. Diseases which
lead to death are worse than a goblet of Hemlock. As to the rest, I
owe praise to the judges who opined in favor of innocence. To the
others, I owe only my pity.
ONE JUDGE: (leaving)
Certainly this man deserves a state pension rather than a bowl of
Hemlock.
ANOTHER JUDGE:
That's true; but at the same time what's the point of getting
embroiled with a priest of Ceres?
ANOTHER JUDGE:
I'm really quite comfortable in putting a philosopher to death. Those
folk have a certain pride in wit which it's good to humble a little.
ONE JUDGE:
Gentlemen, one thing. While our shoulder is at the wheel, wouldn't we
do better to put to death all the geometers who pretend that the three
angles of a triangle add up to two right angles? They strangely
scandalize the populace that reads their books.
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