The Death of Socrates, Again

[sdi]

I had speculated before that Socrates had been killed for introducing foreign gods. I was talking to a friend today and he suggested an alternate, simple hypothesis.

The elite had spent generations convincing everyone that the "good and beautiful," that is to say, the rich and well-bred, that is to say, themselves, were the ones worthy of the Isles of the Blessed. Socrates, however, made the effort to teach that goodness is knowledge, and the best knowledge is self-knowledge. That is, you don't need money or noble blood to go to heaven, merely humility and hard work.

Thus he was speaking against the elite, a textbook case of "corrupting" the youth, which was the charge laid against him.