47–48
Crito
Crito. Evidently upon his body; for that is what it ruins.
Socrates
Socrates. Right. Then in other matters, not to enumerate them all, in questions of right and wrong and disgraceful and noble and good and bad, which we are now considering, ought we to follow and fear the opinion of the many or that of the one, if there is anyone who knows about them, whom we ought to revere and fear more than all the others? And if we do not follow him, we shall injure and cripple that which we used to say is benefited by the right and is ruined by the wrong. Or is there nothing in this?
Crito
Crito. I think it is true, Socrates.
Socrates
Socrates. Well then, if through yielding to the opinion of the ignorant we ruin that which is benefited by health and injured by disease, is life worth living for us when that is ruined? And that is the body, is it not?
Socrates
Socrates. Then is life worth living when the body is worthless and ruined?
Crito
Crito. Certainly not.
Socrates
Socrates. But is it worth living when that is ruined which is injured by the wrong and improved by the right? Or do we think that part of us, whatever it is, which is concerned with right and wrong, is less important than the body?
Crito
Crito. By no means.
Socrates
Socrates. But more important?
