Plato's "The Allegory of the Cave" as Means to Explain "The Apology"
Michael Ehrecke
Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave” As Means to Explain “The Apology” Authors sometimes use one work to explain or elaborate on the intricacies of another piece of theirs. Plato is one such example as he uses “The Allegory of the Cave” as means to better decipher “The Apology of Socrates.” Plato himself never appears in either dialogue, but it is clear that he disagrees with how Socrates’s trial ended and hopes to prevent another unneeded execution in the future. In “The Apology of Socrates,” Socrates is accused of not recognizing the gods of the state and of corrupting the youth of Athens. Despite the many instances in which these allegations are challenged and, quite frankly, disproved, Socrates is still put to death. “The Allegory of the Cave” is a hypothetical scenario that not only explains what happens to Socrates in “The Apology,” but also offers some insight into why Socrates lives his life the way he does. Many parallels can be drawn between “The Allegory of the Cave” and “The Apology of Socrates.” The man who is released from the chains that bound his intellect and full understanding of what is truly Good can be connected to Socrates himself. His description of this imaginary man’s journey out of the cave and into the daylight is painful and disorienting, but undeniably rewarding: “Then if he called to mind his fellow prisoners and what passed for wisdom in his former dwelling-place, he would surely think himself happy in the change and be sorry for them.” Socrates has made the ascent, and has made his life mission to liberate the others left in the bleak darkness of the cave. The chained prisoners in the cave are like the Athenian councilmen who are judging Socrates’s trial. Socrates describes the prisoners as having been in the cave since childhood, “… chained by the leg and also by the neck, so that they cannot move and can see only what is in front of them, because the chains will not let them turn their heads.” In “The Apology of
Plato’s “The Allegory of the Cave” As Means to Explain “The Apology” Authors sometimes use one work to explain or elaborate on the intricacies of another piece of theirs. Plato is one such example as he uses “The Allegory of the Cave” as means to better decipher “The Apology of Socrates.” Plato himself never appears in either dialogue, but it is clear that he disagrees with how Socrates’s trial ended and hopes to prevent another unneeded execution in the future. In “The Apology of Socrates,” Socrates is accused of not recognizing the gods of the state and of corrupting the youth of Athens. Despite the many instances in which these allegations are challenged and, quite frankly, disproved, Socrates is still put to death. “The Allegory of the Cave” is a hypothetical scenario that not only explains what happens to Socrates in “The Apology,” but also offers some insight into why Socrates lives his life the way he does. Many parallels can be drawn between “The Allegory of the Cave” and “The Apology of Socrates.” The man who is released from the chains that bound his intellect and full understanding of what is truly Good can be connected to Socrates himself. His description of this imaginary man’s journey out of the cave and into the daylight is painful and disorienting, but undeniably rewarding: “Then if he called to mind his fellow prisoners and what passed for wisdom in his former dwelling-place, he would surely think himself happy in the change and be sorry for them.” Socrates has made the ascent, and has made his life mission to liberate the others left in the bleak darkness of the cave. The chained prisoners in the cave are like the Athenian councilmen who are judging Socrates’s trial. Socrates describes the prisoners as having been in the cave since childhood, “… chained by the leg and also by the neck, so that they cannot move and can see only what is in front of them, because the chains will not let them turn their heads.” In “The Apology of