Non a superbia: Ancient Defences of Socrates' Defence

The paper focuses on Socrates' so-called 'big talk' (mu epsilon gamma alpha lambda eta gamma omicron rho iota alpha) during the trial - which Xenophon presents as the distinctive trait of Socrates' defensive speech (Apol. 1) - and its reception in antiquity. Based on a close exa-mination of this notion in Xenophon's and Plato's Apologies, two main issues are addressed: (1) the relationship between Socrates' behaviour in court and his position regarding the timeliness of his death, and (2) the question of whether or not Socrates has waived his defence. In order to challenge the assumption that Socrates' 'arrogance' aimed at his own conviction, some modern interpretations are discussed and contrasted with three ancient readings of Socrates' trial, to which the bulk of this study is devoted: namely, the 'defences of Socrates' defence' provided by Cicero (Tusc. Disp. i [29] 71; De orat.i [54] 231-233), Quintilian (Inst. Orat. xi 1, 9-11) and Maximus of Tyre (Diss. iii)