Crito
Sign in to savethumb|Beginning of Crito in the Codex Oxoniensis Clarkianus 39 of the Bodleian Library|Bodleian library (dating from around 895). Crito ( or ; ) is a dialogue written by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It depicts a conversation between Socrates and his wealthy friend Crito of Alopece regarding justice (δικαιοσύνη), injustice (ἀδικία), and the appropriate response to injustice. It follows Socrates' imprisonment, just after the events of the Apology.
Article
20 sectionsContents
- Setting
- Characters
- Background
- Dating and authorship
- Summary
- Reception
- Ancient
- Medieval
- Renaissance
- Modern
- Philosophical aspects
- Philosophical implications
- Authoritarianism
- Lawfulness and ethical autonomy
- Texts and translations
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Further reading
- External links
thumb|Beginning of Crito in the Codex Oxoniensis Clarkianus 39 of the Bodleian Library|Bodleian library (dating from around 895). Crito ( or ; ) is a dialogue written by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato. It depicts a conversation between Socrates and his wealthy friend Crito of Alopece regarding justice (δικαιοσύνη), injustice (ἀδικία), and the appropriate response to injustice. It follows Socrates' imprisonment, just after the events of the Apology.
In Crito, Socrates believes injustice may not be answered with injustice, personifies the Laws of Athens to prove this, and refuses Crito's offer to finance his escape from prison. The dialogue contains an ancient statement of the social contract theory of government. In contemporary discussions, the meaning of Crito is debated to determine whether it is a plea for unconditional obedience to the laws of a society. The text is one of the few Platonic dialogues that appear to be unaffected by Plato's opinions on the matter; it is dated to have been written around the same time as the Apology.