This book does not try to do the impossible—to offer a final analysis and interpretation of Plato’s Crito. No Platonic dialogue will ever receive a complete or final analysis and interpretation. This book is an intermediate summary of over twenty-five years of work on the Crito, during which time I have lectured on the Crito in various forums and published papers on the dialogue in a number of journals. I have received many comments and insights which have found their way into this book in one way or another.
During my engagement with this dialogue I have become increasingly convinced that Crito is as much a hero of this dialogue as Socrates is. Overtly concerned with Socrates’ problems, it is actually Crito who is in trouble, and it is Socrates who is trying to help him.
The dialogue is traditionally viewed by scholars as supporting democracy, but I argue that the Crito actually presents a severe criticism of democracy. Plato’s opposition to democracy has been acknowledged from antiquity to the present day, with well-known objections concerning the ignorance of the decision-makers, and the use of rhetoric in the decision-making process. In the Crito, however, I see an attempt by Plato to elucidate a sophisticated mechanism by which a serious inconsistency is maintained by the citizens of a democracy. A democratic citizen may break the law whenever it is in his interest to do so, and yet regard himself as good in every way. In this particular instance, we see that Crito, even while trying to smuggle Socrates out of prison illegally, regards himself as a good man, a decent fellow, and even a law-abiding citizen.
This book is organized and written in the order of the dialogue itself. It is not simply a commentary on various specific details in each section, but is rather a running exposition endeavoring to present a complete interpretation of the dialogue with all its components being taken into consideration and contributing to the understanding of the whole. For the convenience of the reader and the integrity of the presentation of the interpretation, the text of the entire dialogue appears as an integral part of the book in the original Greek and in translation,1 divided into sections according to the logic of the dialogue, as revealed through my analysis. In this way the reader may more easily follow the sequence of events and the progress of the philosophical analysis as the two are related to each other.
Of the many people to whom I owe a debt of gratitude I would like to mention two. My good friend Dr. Ivor Ludlam whose advice and comments are embedded in almost every page of this book; and no less, the many students with whom I read this dialogue and through whom I became less ignorant than before.
This book is dedicated to the memory of a distinguished man and scholar, my teacher, Professor John Glucker who introduced me to the study of Plato many years ago. It was John who first showed me the value of each word in Plato and exemplified in his personality the modesty required in the face of the text. John accompanied this book from its earliest conception, through the development of its arguments, and all the way to its final conclusions—over many long years. I will always fondly remember our endless discussions and conversations, sometimes lasting late into the night, about Plato, the Greek language, and the Crito.
To my great sorrow—and to the sorrow of his many friends and of the entire academic community—John passed away just a month before the book was accepted for publication. If there is anything of value in these pages, his share in it is greater than mine.
I have used a number of translations cited in the bibliography, but have made my own modifications wherever I deemed it necessary.