Socrates
- Artist/Author/Producer: Socrates (c.470-399 B.C.)
- Confronting Bodies: The Athenian Assembly
- Dates of action: 399 B.C
- Location: Greece
- Description of the Art Work
- Socrates is described as having "laid the philosophical foundation of
Western culture. He directed philosophical thought toward analysis of the
character and conduct of human life, which he assessed in terms of an
original theory of the soul. He is remembered for his admonition to 'Know
thyself.' Socrates wrote nothing. Information about his personality and
doctrine is found chiefly in the dialogues of Plato and the 'Memorabilia'
of Xenophon.
- Description of incident
- 399 B.C. : Socrates accused "firstly, of denying the gods recognized by
the State and introducing new divinities, and secondly of corrupting the
young". Found guilty, he was condemned to death. Accounts of the events
in Xenephon's "Memorabilia" and Plato's "Apology". The western history
of censorship is said to begin here.
- Results of incident
- Although Socrates left no writings, his forthrightness as teacher and
philosopher exposed him to punishment of the State.
Source: Banned Books 387 B.C. to 1978 A.D., by Anne Lyon Haight, and Chandler B.
Grannis, R.R. Bowker Co, 1978.