Why Do Socrates Not Believe In Horsemen's Activities?
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Socrates compares himself to a “gadfly” that “stirred” up the sluggish horse which is Athens because he thinks that he must continually goad the citizens to keep them aware that they are not as wise as they think they are. A gadfly is compared to a human being who criticizes another to provoke him while a gadfly bites a horse to take blood from him. Both in term are persistent in their actions. Meletus questions Socrates belief in the gods, so Socrates goaded Meletus into realizing he is wrong. He asks him “Does any many who does not believe in horses believe in horsemen’s activities?”(27b) Of course a man who doesn’t believe in a horse can’t believe in bettering such a thing that is non existent. Socrates uses this analogy to demonstrate he does believe in the gods because he believes in spirits which are “…gods or the…show more content… Socrates is like a gadfly because he bites persistently. He often asks one question after another until his questions are answered. In the outset of The Trial and Death of Socrates, Socrates investigates Euthyphro to discover the definition of pious and impious. Socrates asks Euthyphro indirectly, more than half a dozen times what is pious and impious. In asking him, he is persistent in his search for the truth. Socrates causes Euthyphro and Meletus to question oneself, proving that he is not as wise as he thinks he is. Socrates is convinced that Meletus is a riddler, because he indirectly says that, “‘Socrates is guilty of not believing in gods, but believing in gods’”.(27a) Prior to this Socrates tells Euthyphro that “[he)] will be surprised if [his] arguments seem to move about