Plato's Apology and the Politics of Memory

Abstract: This article interprets Plato's Apology of Socrates in the light of recent studies on the Athenian amnesty of 403 and the rhetorical conventions to which the amnesty gave rise. Comparing the Apology to Lysias' Against Eratosthenes , it argues that Plato's defense of Socratic philosophy engages with the psychology of collective memory that inhered in the rhetoric of amnesty-era Athens. Additionally, it argues that, in composing the Apology , Plato took inspiration from Lysias' speech directly. Ultimately, this article advances our understanding of Plato as a literary artist, social critic, and political thinker.