Crito | Page 9

you?' the law would
answer; 'or were you to abide by the sentence of the state?' And if I
were to express my astonishment at their words, the law would
probably add: 'Answer, Socrates, instead of opening your eyes--you are
in the habit of asking and answering questions. Tell us,--What
complaint have you to make against us which justifies you in
attempting to destroy us and the state? In the first place did we not
bring you into existence? Your father married your mother by our aid
and begat you. Say whether you have any objection to urge against
those of us who regulate marriage?' None, I should reply. 'Or against
those of us who after birth regulate the nurture and education of
children, in which you also were trained? Were not the laws, which
have the charge of education, right in commanding your father to train
you in music and gymnastic?' Right, I should reply. 'Well then, since
you were brought into the world and nurtured and educated by us, can
you deny in the first place that you are our child and slave, as your
fathers were before you? And if this is true you are not on equal terms
with us; nor can you think that you have a right to do to us what we are
doing to you. Would you have any right to strike or revile or do any
other evil to your father or your master, if you had one, because you
have been struck or reviled by him, or received some other evil at his
hands?--you would not say this? And because we think right to destroy
you, do you think that you have any right to destroy us in return, and
your country as far as in you lies? Will you, O professor of true virtue,
pretend that you are justified in this? Has a philosopher like you failed
to discover that our country is more to be valued and higher and holier
far than mother or father or any ancestor, and more to be regarded in
the eyes of the gods and of men of understanding? also to be soothed,

and gently and reverently entreated when angry, even more than a
father, and either to be persuaded, or if not persuaded, to be obeyed?
And when we are punished by her, whether with imprisonment or
stripes, the punishment is to be endured in silence; and if she lead us to
wounds or death in battle, thither we follow as is right; neither may any
one yield or retreat or leave his rank, but whether in battle or in a court
of law, or in any other place, he must do what his city and his country
order him; or he must change their view of what is just: and if he may
do no violence to his father or mother, much less may he do violence to
his country.' What answer shall we make to this, Crito? Do the laws
speak truly, or do they not?
CRITO: I think that they do.
SOCRATES: Then the laws will say: 'Consider, Socrates, if we are
speaking truly that in your present attempt you are going to do us an
injury. For, having brought you into the world, and nurtured and
educated you, and given you and every other citizen a share in every
good which we had to give, we further proclaim to any Athenian by the
liberty which we allow him, that if he does not like us when he has
become of age and has seen the ways of the city, and made our
acquaintance, he may go where he pleases and take his goods with him.
None of us laws will forbid him or interfere with him. Any one who
does not like us and the city, and who wants to emigrate to a colony or
to any other city, may go where he likes, retaining his property. But he
who has experience of the manner in which we order justice and
administer the state, and still remains, has entered into an implied
contract that he will do as we command him. And he who disobeys us
is, as we maintain, thrice wrong: first, because in disobeying us he is
disobeying his parents; secondly, because we are the authors of his
education; thirdly, because he has made an agreement with us that he
will duly obey our commands; and he neither obeys them nor
convinces us that our commands are unjust; and we do not rudely
impose them, but give him the alternative of obeying or convincing
us;--that is what we offer, and he does neither.
'These are the sort of accusations to which, as we were saying, you,
Socrates, will be exposed if you accomplish your intentions; you, above