SOCRATES

Socrates never asked that he should be accepted. Socrates is saying, “please leave me alone – just as I leave you alone. Please allow my freedom. I don’t trespass on your life, you should not trespass on my life.”
He was told “It is very simple. Leave Athens. You can make your home in any other city, and wherever you are you will find disciples, friends – about that there is no question.
“I’m not going out of Athens because it is a question of choosing between convenience or life, and I choose life – even if it brings death. But I will not choose convenience, that is cowardly.”
“Then do one thing: remain in Athens, but stop teaching.”
“I am going to continue teaching the truth.”
“Then we are helpless, because the mob, with a majority, wants you to be poisoned and killed.”
“That’s perfectly okay. You can kill me, but you cannot kill my spirit.”
By spirit he means his courage, his devotion to truth, his way of life.
He died joyously.
In fact Socrates asked again and again, “What is the matter? Ask that man; it is getting late.”
The poisoner asked Socrates, ‘Why are you in a hurry?’
‘I am in a hurry because I have lived life tremendously, totally; I know it. Death is unknown; it is a great adventure. I would like to taste death.’
You cannot kill such a man.