Question

Why did Socrates go to jail

Answer 1

Socrates in prison from The Greeks documentary

After Socrates had been found guilty of impiety and corrupting the morals of the city's youth, he was next invited to propose a suitable punishment.

This was a legal tradition in Athens and an opportunity for him to show remorse, and hopefully lessen his sentence. But asked what sort of punishment he thought he should receive, he responded with an answer that was nothing short of a death wish.

He argued that he should receive the highest honors of the city and be granted free meals at the public's expense, an honor reserved for Olympian athletes.

The outraged jury voted for his death by even greater majority than had found him guilty of his alleged crimes.

Led away to the city's prison house, his trial and last days became the subject of Plato's 'Crito & Phaedo'. Visited by many people, he faced the prospect of death with characteristic unconcern, and even refused to be rescued and smuggled abroad by a group of friends.