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Cast List

ROLE STUDENT’S NAME

Socrates Davidson

Plato Debbie

Lycon Quasim

Anytus David

Meletus Vasyl

Stage Directions Kenji

Prologue

Socrates - a Greek philosopher from Athens accused of corrupting

the youth and denying the existence of God.

Plato- a student Socrates and Athenian philosopher.

(The Accusers Lycon, Anytus and Meletus)

Anytus - a rich and socially prominent Athenian who opposed the

Sophists on principle.

Meletus – an ancient Athenian Greek from the Pithus one of

Socrates Accusers.

Lycon- the Third Accuser, represents the professional

rhetoricians as an interest group

the jury-

the court-

Our group chose this case because the Trial of Socrates (399
B.C.) has had an impact on our society and Socrates philosophies
are still relevant till this day. Socrates was sentenced to death
accused of corrupting the youth and denying the existence of God.
Socrates went around asking questions to Sophist’s orators
promoting themselves to be a master of a profession and in doing
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so he came to the realization that they were lying about their

knowledge, while doing so he angered and embarrassed a lot of
people. our theatre piece style will be realism like 12 Angry Men

FADE IN:

(The trial of Socrates took place over a nine-to-ten-hour period

in the People's Court, located in the agora, the civic center of
Athens)

(This trial is one of the most impactful trials in human

history, this trial has influence Democracy many years since it
took place. Socrates philosophies has helped defined the meaning
of many things such as our Freedom of Speech, our ability to
challenge authority and democracy all together…..)

Act 1

Scene 1

(MELETUS STANDS UP INFRONT OF THE COURT)

MELETUS:

Gentlemen of the jury, and the entire court we are charging

Socrates with corrupting the young and denying the existence of
God.

ANYTUS:

(ANYTUS TURNS TO Socrates)

Socrates is evil, he makes the worse arguments appear better.

Lycon:

(Lycon STANDS UP INFRONT OF THE COURT)

Gentlemen be upon your guard, and not let yourselves be deceived

by Socrates eloquence, his civil disobedience will not go
unpunished!

Socrates:
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People of Athens, after hearing the speeches of my accusers,

their persuasive words almost made me forget who I was. yet they
have hardly spoken a word of truth. How have I corrupted the
youth? Who says I don’t believe in God? What evidence do you
have against me?

ANYTUS:

(ANYTUS TURNS TO Socrates)

Socrates, I think that you are too ready to speak evil of men:
and, if you will take my advice, I recommend you to be careful.

Lycon:

(ANYTUS TURNS TO jury)

Socrates You request evidence? people of Athens Socrates

philosophies possess a treat to our democracy; his philosophical
ideas influence civil disobedience in the youth. And claims to
educate them.

MELETUS:

You are not responsible for educating the youth that job
belongs to the sophists!

Socrates:

the Sophists? the Sophists are more concerned with using their
speech-making skills to gain power and influence, rather than
educating the young to pursue the truth.

ANYTUS:

Socrates you claim to be dedicated to the truth. People of

Athens all he cares about is his selfish intentions and
popularity.

Socrates:

That is not true I don't pretend to know either much or little!

When I began to talk with people who was thought to be wise by
many, I could not help thinking that they are was not wise, I
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tried to explain to them that they thought themselves wise, but

was not wise, the consequence was that they hated me. All
because of my unswerving commitment to truth.

Plato:

(Plato enters)

Socrates has never said anything to corrupt his students nor

argued against the existence of the Gods.

(The court erupted with screams of anger)

MELETUS:

(MELETUS angerly)

Plato sit-down you are just a child! God only knows the
molestation and abuse you've endured as part of Socrates cult.
Another evidence of Socrates selfish gains.

Socrates:

(Socrates softly)

Plato don't get overwhelmed, don't let these false accusation

get to you. This is not the way I taught you to act.

ANYTUS:

We know the truth Socrates you are bisexual; you sleep with your
students! Posing as an educator

Socrates:

I am bisexual as are many men in Athens…

ANYTUS:

(ANYTUS angerly)

You slept with my son!

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(The court erupted with whispers of confusion and shock)

Lycon:

You bastard! How many other Innocent Students have you

Assaulted?

Plato:

(Plato stands to disagree)

Not true, no one was forced to commit any sexual acts without
consent.

(Plato looks at ANYTUS)

your son willfully sleeps with Socrates, I saw him walked to

Socrates room at his own free will. Haven’t you ever wounder
what your son does during a full moon?

(ANYTUS looks away from Plato)

(You hear the whispers of the court agreeing with Plato, you see
them looking at each other nodding)

Lycon:

Plato you have already been told to sit Your dumb ass down!

Socrates:

As my student points out I have never harmed my students or

force them to participate in any sexual activity non-
consensually.

Lycon:

(Lycon Stands up looks at Socrates)

HOW DARE YOU SIT HERE AND LIE as if NOTING EVER HAPPEN!

(Lycon looks at the court)

My brother took his own life after leaving your cult.

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(Tears running down Lycon eyes, Traumatized by the memories of

his brother)

(Lycon looks at Socrates)

I will never forgive you!

(FADE out: end of Scene 1… freedom of speech better known today

as free Media is one of the pillars of democracy…. this trial
focusses on the true meaning of democracy and how The Athenian
governments version is corrupted by greed and bias

Act 1

Scene 2

FADE IN:)

Socrates:

“Come hither, Meletus, and let me ask a question of you. You

think a great deal about the improvement of youth?”

MELETUS:

“Yes, I do.”

Socrates:

“tell the judges, then, who is their improver; for you must know,
as you have taken the pains to discover their corrupter, and are
citing and accusing me before them. Speak, then, and tell the
judges who their improver is. Observe, Meletus, that you are
silent, and have nothing to say. But is not this rather
disgraceful, and a very considerable proof of what I was saying,
that you have no interest in the matter? Speak up, friend, and
tell us who their improver is.”

MELETUS:

“The laws.”

Socrates:
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“But that, my good sir, is not my meaning. I want to know who the
person is, who, in the first place, knows the laws”

MELETUS:

“The judges, Socrates, who are present in court.”

Socrates:

What do you mean to say, Meletus, that they are able to instruct
and improve youth?

MELETUS:

“Certainly they are.”

Socrates:

“What, all of them, or some only and not others?”

MELETUS:

“All of them”

Socrates:

“By the goddess Hera, that is good news! There are plenty of
improvers, then. And what do you say of the audience, do they
improve them?”

MELETUS:

“Yes, they do.”

Socrates:

“And the senators?”

MELETUS:

“Yes, the senators improve them.”

Socrates:
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“But perhaps the members of the citizen assembly corrupt them? −−

or do they too improve them?”

MELETUS:

“They improve them.”

Socrates:

“Then every Athenian improves and elevates them; all with the
exception of myself; and I alone am their corrupter? Is that what
you affirm?”

MELETUS:

That is what I stoutly affirm.

Socrates:

“I am very unfortunate if that is true. But suppose I ask you a

question: Would you say that this also holds true in the case of
horses? Does one man do them harm and all the world good? Is not
the exact opposite of this true? One man is able to do them good,
or at least not many; −− the trainer of horses, that is to say,
does them good, and others who have to do with them rather injure
them? Is not that true, Meletus, of horses, or any other animals?
Yes, certainly. Whether you and Anytus say yes or no, that is no
matter. Happy indeed would be the condition of youth if they had
one corrupter only, and all the rest of the world were their
improvers. And you, Meletus, have sufficiently shown that you
never had a thought about the young: your carelessness is seen in
your not caring about matters spoken of in this very indictment.”

Socrates:

“And now, Meletus, I must ask you another question: Which is

better, to live among bad citizens, or among good ones? Answer,
friend, I say; for that is a question which may be easily
answered. Do not the good do their neighbors good, and the bad do
them evil? “

MELETUS:

“Certainly.”
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Socrates:

“And is there anyone who would rather be injured than benefited

by those who live with him? Answer, my good friend; the law
requires you to answer −− does anyone like to be injured? “

MELETUS:

“Certainly not.”

Socrates:

“And when you accuse me of corrupting and deteriorating the

youth, do you allege that I corrupt them intentionally or
unintentionally?”

MELETUS:

“Intentionally, I say”

Socrates:

you admitted that “the good do their neighbors good, and the evil
do them evil.” Why would I Intentionally corrupt the youth. if I
do so it is unintentionally!

If I do unintentionally! Why am I being punished, if I commit a

crime unintentionally! shouldn’t I be educated rather then being
put to death?

Plato:

(Plato stands)

Exactly!

ANYTUS:

Members of the jury, Both the prosecution and the defense have
now rested their cases. you have heard all of the testimony
concerning this case. it is now up to you to determine the facts.
You and you alone, are the judges of the fact. Once you decide
what facts the evidence proves, you must then apply the law as I
give it to you to the facts as you find them.
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(FADE out: end of Scene 2

Scene 3

FADE IN:)

MELETUS:

Have you reached a verdict? What say you?

ANYTUS:

The jury finds Socrates guilty.

Plato:

(Plato stands looks to the jury)

This is unfair.

Socrates:

Let the record show that this court trial has impede on our
Freedom of Speech the ability to Question Everything and has
impede our ability to Challenge Social Norms…..

MELETUS:

The jury condemns Socrates to death.

Socrates:

(Socrates looking confused)

What?!?!

Plato:

(Plato stands Aggressively)

No!
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(Socrates looks at plato with a single tear running down his

eyes)

Socrates:

Its okay plato….my fate has been sealed………

(Socrates picks up the cup of hemlock and drinks it, and slowly
we see the light fade out of Socrates)

(FADE out: end of play

The trial Socrates has had numerous impacts throughout history

most notably in the “letter from Birmingham jail” by Martin
Luther King Jr. During civil rights movement. Dr.king was
arrested for protesting the unfair treatment of African American
in Birmingham Alabama, during his time in prison he wrote a
letter to address questions and misconception that he had
received. And in this letter Dr.king drew numerous examples from
Socrates philosophies and the trial of Socrates….Socrates
philosophies is a blue print to some of our most impactful
events in history such as The Boston Tea party that lead to the
“declaration of independence” a massive act of civil disobedience
that lead to Americas freedom….the civil rights movements that
accord from 1954 to 1968 is another massive act of civil
disobedience that resulted in the equality of African Americans
outlawing racial discrimination for all races.

Works cited

The Trial of Socrates (famous-trials.com)