Socrates

by Voltaire

"Socrates" by Voltaire is a play written in 1759. Set in Ancient Greece, it dramatizes the events leading to the philosopher's trial and death. Voltaire portrays Socrates as a moral figure persecuted by corrupt Athenian officials and priests. Heavy with satire, the play targets government authority and organized religion. While less famous than Voltaire's other works, it reveals his contempt for institutional power—ideas that would later influence revolutionary movements in America and France.