This Paper is built around a role-playing experience that you will have in week 7 of the term which, as you all know is based on a trial that really took place: the trial of the Athenian Philosopher Socrates.  This trial took place in the wake of Athens' loss to Sparta in the Second Peloponnesian War.  Socrates was on the side of those people who were favorable to the pro-Spartan faction, put in power by the Spartans after the war, known as the 30 Tyrants.  He was not, of course, charged with this, but with something else.  The political context, is however, crucial to putting together your speech for the trial.  Each of you will be in one of three roles: defending Socrates, attacking Socrates, or judging Socrates as a members of the Assembly or as an archon (magistrate).  The situation is roughly as follows.  Socrates has been given an initial trial and is in prison.  As members of the Assembly of Athens, the city's highest court, you must now make a final determination as to whether or not Socrates is guilty and what should be done with him.  To determine your role click on the hypertext in this sentence:

You must submit a draft of your speech by the first day of the trial, Tuesday October 3 at the beginning of class to the Turn It In web-site.  Be sure to bring an extra copy for me if you are uncertain as to whether the submission to the Turn It In site was not received as well as one for yourself!  Your paper should have the following sections:

1. An introduction of one-half page in which you express your position in the trial and briefly why you have taken this position (12.5% of the mark for the paper).

2. A one-half page presentation of the evidence for your position (25% of the mark for the paper).

3. A one-half page section in which you challenge any counter-arguments you think other might present (25% of the mark for the paper).

4. A one-half page summation of your position with a conclusion in which you state what should be done with regard to Socrates. (12.5% of the mark for the paper).

5. As you have probably noticed that leaves 25% of the mark for the paper unacounted for.  This is taken up by your presentation during the trial itself.  You must speak for 4-5 minutes for your presentation and it would be best if you did not simply read from your speech but rather performed it.  Beyond this I leave it up to you how you wish to proceed. 

PLEASE NOTE: PARTICIPATION IN THE TRIAL DOES NOT MEAN JUST MAKING YOUR SPEECH; IF YOU DO NOT ATTEND ALL DAYS OF THE TRIAL I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU FULL CREDIT FOR YOUR SPEECH!

General Standards: First, you must type your paper using standard margins (1 inch all around), Times New Roman font and a 12-point type size. Next, you must properly document your use of other people's work in this essay. In plan terms, whenever you comment on or quote from the web-source linked below, I expect a proper footnote indicating what material in that book you are referencing (a 25% reduction on your paper will occur if you fail to document your work properly). For examples of how to footnote, click on the General Guidelines hypertext in the Formal Writings section of the web syllabus. You will also find hints on how to write well and on general guidelines as to what I look for in written work.  Finally, your essay must be two full pages in length, double-spaced.

First Footnote: Four Texts on Socrates: Plato's Euthyphro, Apology, and Crito and Aristophanes' Clouds, tranaslated with notes by Thomas G. West and Grace Starry West and with an introduction by Thomas G. West (Ithaca and London: Cornell University Press, 1984), insert page # here.

After this first note all other quotations should use Ibid. and indicate the page number cited.  You will not need to cite from any book other than this book to write the paper.