When Crito expresses concern about his reputation, Socrates inquires why one needs to worry about “the opinion of the many (44c).” At first glance, it may seem that the philosopher rebels against the social order of Athens. Upon further investigation, it becomes clear that he does not devalue but rather distinguishes between opinions: he states that some of them “must be regarded as important (46e).” The important opinions include city laws that maximize public good and allow for the safety and prosperity of all Athens residents. For this reason, Socrates decides not to escape his imprisonment, despite Crito’s willingness to help him. The philosopher states that by committing transgressions, he will not produce any good for his companions and the city itself (53a-b). Therefore, there is no contradiction because while Socrates does not care about his reputation, he cares about other people, Athens, and doing choosing to do “what a good and manly man would choose (45e).”
Work Cited
West, Thomas G. & Grace Starry West. Four Texts on Socrates: Plato’s Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito, and Aristophanes’ Clouds. Cornell University Press, 1998.