Apology
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Themes
All Themes Wisdom, Piety, and Belief Moral Integrity Rhetoric, Persuasion, and the Truth Democracy, Judgment, and Justice
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Socrates Meletus Anytus The Delphic Oracle Crito Plato
Symbols
All Symbols The Gadfly
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Apology

by

Plato
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Anytus Character Analysis

One of Socrates’s accusers, along with Meletus and Lycon. Socrates says that Anytus is “vexed” with him “on behalf of the craftsmen and the politicians.” According to the historical record, Anytus was an Athenian politician who fought as a general in the Peloponnesian War, though neither of these details surface in Plato’s Apology. At one point during his apologia, Socrates references a remark Anytus apparently made earlier in the trial—namely, that the jury has no choice but to execute Socrates, now that he has been brought to court. “For if I should be acquitted,” Socrates says, outlining Anytus’ opinion, “your sons would practice the teachings of Socrates and all be thoroughly corrupted.”

Anytus Quotes in Apology

The Apology quotes below are all either spoken by Anytus or refer to Anytus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Wisdom, Piety, and Belief Theme Icon
).
Apology Quotes

[…] if you said to me in this regard: “Socrates, we do not believe Anytus now; we acquit you, but only on condition that you spend no more time on this investigation and do not practice philosophy, and if you are caught doing so you will die”; if, as I say, you were to acquit me on those terms, I would say to you: “Men of Athens, I am grateful and I am your friend, but I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy […].”

Related Characters: Socrates (speaker), Anytus
Wisdom, Piety, and Belief Theme Icon
Moral Integrity Theme Icon
Democracy, Judgment, and Justice Theme Icon
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis:
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Anytus Quotes in Apology

The Apology quotes below are all either spoken by Anytus or refer to Anytus. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Wisdom, Piety, and Belief Theme Icon
).
Apology Quotes

[…] if you said to me in this regard: “Socrates, we do not believe Anytus now; we acquit you, but only on condition that you spend no more time on this investigation and do not practice philosophy, and if you are caught doing so you will die”; if, as I say, you were to acquit me on those terms, I would say to you: “Men of Athens, I am grateful and I am your friend, but I will obey the god rather than you, and as long as I draw breath and am able, I shall not cease to practice philosophy […].”

Related Characters: Socrates (speaker), Anytus
Wisdom, Piety, and Belief Theme Icon
Moral Integrity Theme Icon
Democracy, Judgment, and Justice Theme Icon
Page Number: 34
Explanation and Analysis:
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