crito   

And will you, O professor of true virtue, say that you are justified
in this? Has a philosopher like you failed to discover that our
country is more to be valued and higher and holier far than mother or
father or any ancestor, and more to be regarded in the eyes of the
gods and of men of understanding? also to be soothed, and gently and
reverently entreated when angry, even more than a father, and if not
persuaded, obeyed? And when we are punished by her, whether with
imprisonment or stripes, the punishment is to be endured in silence;
and if she leads us to wounds or death in battle, thither we follow as
is right; neither may anyone yield or retreat or leave his rank, but
whether in battle or in a court of law, or in any other place, he must
do what his city and his country order him; or he must change their
view of what is just: and if he may do no violence to his father or
mother, much less may he do violence to his country." What answer
shall we make to this, Crito? Do the laws speak truly, or do they not?
Cr. I think that they do.
Soc. Then the laws will say: "Consider, Socrates, if this is true,
that in your present attempt you are going to do us wrong. For, after
having brought you into the world, and nurtured and educated you, and
given you and every other citizen a share in every good that we had to
give, we further proclaim and give the right to every Athenian, that
if he does not like us when he has come of age and has seen the ways
of the city, and made our acquaintance, he may go where he pleases and
take his goods with him; and none of us laws will forbid him or
interfere with him. Any of you who does not like us and the city, and
who wants to go to a colony or to any other city, may go where he
likes, and take his goods with him. But he who has experience of the
manner in which we order justice and administer the State, and still
remains, has entered into an implied contract that he will do as we
command him. And he who disobeys us is, as we maintain, thrice wrong:
first, because in disobeying us he is disobeying his parents;
secondly, because we are the authors of his education; thirdly,
because he has made an agreement with us that he will duly obey our
commands; and he neither obeys them nor convinces us that our commands
are wrong; and we do not rudely impose them, but give him the
alternative of obeying or convincing us; that is what we offer and he
does neither. These are the sort of accusations to which, as we were
saying, you, Socrates, will be exposed if you accomplish your
intentions; you, above all other Athenians." Suppose I ask, why is
this? they will justly retort upon me that I above all other men have
acknowledged the agreement. "There is clear proof," they will say,
"Socrates, that we and the city were not displeasing to you. Of all
Athenians you have been the most constant resident in the city, which,
as you never leave, you may be supposed to love. For you never went
out of the city either to see the games, except once when you went to
the Isthmus, or to any other place unless when you were on military
service; nor did you travel as other men do. Nor had you any curiosity
to know other States or their laws: your affections did not go beyond
us and our State; we were your especial favorites, and you acquiesced
in our government of you; and this is the State in which you begat
your children, which is a proof of your satisfaction. Moreover, you
might, if you had liked, have fixed the penalty at banishment in the
course of the trial-the State which refuses to let you go now would
have let you go then. But you pretended that you preferred death to
exile, and that you were not grieved at death. And now you have
forgotten these fine sentiments, and pay no respect to us, the laws,
of whom you are the destroyer; and are doing what only a miserable
slave would do, running away and turning your back upon the compacts
and agreements which you made as a citizen. And first of all answer
this very question: Are we right in saying that you agreed to be
governed according to us in deed, and not in word only? Is that true
or not?" How shall we answer that, Crito? Must we not agree?
Cr. There is no help, Socrates.
Soc. Then will they not say: "You, Socrates, are breaking the