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Section 23

From this investigation, men of Athens, many enmities have arisen against me, and of the most harsh and burdensome kind, resulting in many slanders and the title of being "wise." For those present on each occasion suppose that I myself am wise in whatever subject I refute someone else. But in truth, gentlemen, the god is likely wise, and in this oracle he means that human wisdom is worth little or nothing. He appears to be speaking of Socrates, using my name as an example, as if he were to say: "This man among you, O mortals, is the wisest, who, like Socrates, has recognized that he is truly worthless concerning wisdom." This is why even now I go about investigating and examining anyone, citizen or foreigner, whom I think is wise, according to the god's command. And when he seems to me not to be wise, I assist the god by showing him that he is not wise. Because of this occupation, I have had no time for any public affairs worth mentioning, nor any private ones, but I live in extreme poverty because of my service to the god. In addition to this, the young men who have the most leisure, the sons of the wealthiest men, follow me around of their own accord. They enjoy hearing men being cross-examined, and they often imitate me and attempt to examine others. And I imagine they find a great abundance of men who think they know something but know little or nothing. Consequently, those who are examined by them become angry with me, not with themselves, and say that "Socrates is a most pestilential fellow who corrupts the youth." When someone asks them what he does and what he teaches to corrupt them, they have nothing to say, because they do not know. But so as not to seem at a loss, they repeat the standard charges brought against all philosophers: "the things aloft and under the earth," "not believing in gods," and "making the weaker argument the stronger." For I think they would not be willing to speak the truth: that they have been exposed as pretending to know when they know nothing. Because they are ambitious, forceful, and numerous, and because they speak concertedly and persuasively about me, they have filled your ears with harsh and persistent slander for a long time. From these ranks Meletus, Anytus, and Lycon attacked me. Meletus is aggrieved on behalf of the poets, Anytus on behalf of the craftsmen and politicians, and Lycon on behalf of the orators. So, as I began by saying, I would be amazed if I were able to remove from you, in this short time, a prejudice that has grown so large.