Nobody likes me, everybody hates me, guess I"ll eat some worms.
It has long been believed by some that the reason for Socrates" unpopularity was that he was a supporter of the Celtic Football Club. However, in reading The Trial and Death of Socrates by Plato, I came across no mention of this and I had to abandon what I had long regarded to the gospel truth. Furthermore, one does not have to read very far into the Apology to find that it is no more than a misunderstanding of Socrates, and that the popular belief that he is an arrogant man is the cause for his unpopularity.
The Apology opens with Socrates addressing his fellow Athenians in court. He begins by uttering a lot of nonsense, not unlike a Tennessee gas pump attendant whom you have asked for directions. Eventually he gives us a hint as to why it is he is on trial and the reason for his unpopularity when he says, "For I have many accusers telling of one Socrates, a wise man, who speculated about the heaven above, and searched into the earth beneath, and make the worse appear the better cause." (20) While this does give us some insight, it is not until a page later that we find out the whole reason when he says, " I will sum up their word in an affidavit"(21), and he repeats the abovementioned words and adds to them "and he teaches the aforesaid doctrines to others." (21) .
So now, we know that Socrates is not one to just take things for face value. While he may pick door number one, he still wants to know what the lovely Carol Marol has hidden behind door number three. Because of his inquisitive nature he has developed a reputation for being a "wise" man, " I will endeavor to explain to you the origin of this name of "wise," and of this evil fame"(22), says Socrates addressing the court. " This reputation of mine comes from a certain sort of wisdom that I possess."(22) He continues with a story of how his friend Chaerephon (who oddly enough is not available to back up his story due to the small fact that he is dead) went to the Oracle at Delphi and asked if there was anyone wiser than his old pal Socrates.
