According to Socrates, a philosopher should relinquish his sense perceptions when it comes to philosophy because they hinder our ability to seek truth. The Sophists used their opinions and relied on their sense perceptions to help people win arguments and get money. Lastly, unlike the Sophists, Socrates does not lie. He does not speak to people just so that their argument or claim can be made stronger. He would travel around Athens asking prominent men questions about universal forms, like equality and justice. The Sophists would offer their services to some one so that they can help them be more eloquent so that their argument could be stronger. If you were saying the sky is blue and I was saying the sky was green, a Sophist was coach me to win the argument that the sky was green, even though we all know that it is blue. .
It was Socrates" wandering around Athens and asking these important men questions that got him in trouble. The first phase of Socrates" accusation is his wandering. The Sophists went around offering their services. Socrates went around proving the oracle's prophecy. The second phase of his accusation was when he concluded that the men were wrong. Socrates would ask them questions and prove that they were not the wisest of men. He was little by little shortening the list of wise men. By showing that the other men were wrong and not wise and proving the oracle's prophecy right, he as making his argument stronger, which is what the Sophists did. When some one is obviously right about something that person is always making their argument stronger no matter what. Athenians confused that with Sophism. It can be safe to assume that not everyone thought Socrates was the wisest of men or that they knew of the oracle's prophecy. Any envious or angry people would think he was lying, which is another Sophist style of argument. Looking at all the facts, Socrates set himself up for the accusations.