Socrates will take up the examination with Crito. He seeks Crito’s approval, based on principles the two of them share. “Do we say that we must not do wrong intentionally in any situation, or that one must do wrong in some situations, but not in others? Isn’t it the case that injustice is in no way good or right, as we have often agreed in past discussions? Or have all those earlier agreements been wiped out in the previous few days?” Crito accepts their past agreements.
“So one mustn’t do wrong under any circumstances?”
“No.”
“Nor must one who has been wronged commit a wrong in return, as the many believe, given that one must not do wrong under any circumstances?”
“Evidently not.”
“Then should one do harm or not?”
“One should not.”
“Then if one suffers harm, to do harm in return, is that just, as the many say, or not?”
“Not at all.”
“Presumably to harm people is no different from doing injustice toward them.”
“Correct.”
“Consequently one should never return harm for harm or do wrong to any man, no matter what one suffers from him.”
Socrates goes on to ask Crito to determine whether this is his considered opinion, for he wants his complete agreement. He recognizes that few people will agree with them, and he notes that there can be no shared ground between those who accept their principles and those who do not. They will inevitably talk past each other. But Socrates has held this view for a long time, and he needs to know if Crito also stands by the view. Crito assents.[21] Socrates knows that most people will reject his argument from the outset, but he needs only Crito’s assent to vindicate him. For his dialectical method is based on showing his interlocutor, or rather helping his interlocutor to see, that he too is compelled by reason to assent to Socrates’ view.[22]
“Should one perform the legitimate obligations one has promised someone to carry out, or refuse them?” Socrates continues.
“Perform them.”
Then we must see what follows from these principles. If we escape from the city, aren’t we doing harm, and indeed to those who least deserve it? And aren’t we violating our promises? Crito doesn’t follow.
[21].Plato Crito 49a-e.
[22].Plato Gorgias 474a.