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Apology of Socrates

4th century BCE · 4th century BCE · Also known as Plato's Apology

The Apology of Socrates is Plato's version of the speech Socrates gave in his own defence at his trial in Athens in 399 BCE on charges of impiety and corrupting the young. In it Socrates explains his questioning of others as a response to the Delphic oracle's answer that no one was wiser than he. It is one of the founding texts of Western philosophy.

Great speeches

Socrates' Defence at His Trial399 BCE

Cite this entry

APA: The Epoch Institute. (2026). Apology of Socrates. In The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/apology-of-socrates
MLA: “Apology of Socrates.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/apology-of-socrates. Accessed .
Chicago: The Epoch Institute. “Apology of Socrates.” The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/apology-of-socrates.
Harvard: The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Apology of Socrates’, The Epoch Institute Encyclopedia. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/encyclopedia/apology-of-socrates (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random entry ↻