Apology is the protection of something

In ancient Greek, the word "apology" is an excuse and nothing more. When the term began to apply in Greek law, it began to mean a defensive speech delivered in court. Later, anything that could serve as a defense against accusations and attacks, a letter or some text, became known as an apology.

Metamorphoses of the term

Obviously, lawyers zealous, praising the dignity of his client, and in our time this term is used to denote prejudiced protection or excessive praise. Over time, the word "apology" generally lost its original meaning and acquired such synonyms as exaltation, praise and even hallelujah, but simply dense flattery. Unfortunately, we have to state that such a prejudiced defense has always been there: from time immemorial to our days.

Socrates self-defense

History knows the use of this term in the primordial sense - as an excuse. In this case, the apologia is the three famous speeches of Socrates he uttered in 399 BC at the trial on which he was accused of all mortal sins, which resulted in the imposition of the death penalty. Socrates, who is considered the first philosopher, was a premature man. Most of the so-called scientists of ancient Greece did not understand it and, being aware of its superiority, they hated it. A calm, ironic manner of communication infuriated them. He was accused of atheism and depravity of his youth. And also in exorbitant pride and boasting of erudition. Although it belongs to Socrates the famous phrase that he knows only that he does not know anything. And this phrase is not falsely pejorative. It is a statement of the fact that the world of knowledge is endless and to embrace it to man, even a sage, is beyond his powers.

Annoying Dignity

At the trial, the great philosopher did not ask for pardon, behaved proudly, calmly and denied all the accusations that were insignificant, unreasonable and ridiculous. Not having the strength to adequately polemic with Socrates, he decided to physically destroy. He died in prison from poison. There remained a brilliant number of pupils and followers, among whom the legendary Plato. "Apology" - one of the earliest of his works, and written not in the form of dialogue. He was 30 years younger than the teacher and bowed before him. A passionate accusatory work, in which Plato calls things by their proper names, proves the complete insignificance, incompetence and incompetence of the accusers - Miletus, Anita, Likon.

Worthy rebuke of the disciple

The correct name of the text written by Plato shortly after the trial (396 BC) is called "The Apology of Socrates". Briefly it can be described as a desire to justify the innocent and protect the great teacher from the false accusations brought against him. He delivers the points spoken by Socrates on the points, arranging what the great philosopher did not say. This is the first of the surviving texts of Plato. It can be noted that none of the accusatory speeches has survived, but from the documents of the witnesses of the process it is clear that not a single noteworthy fact was brought, and all attacks were unfounded or falsified.

The whole science

But there are other meanings of the word. It is widely used in religion, in particular in the defense of Christianity. It is known that this belief was affirmed heavily and its accession required many sacrifices and many defenders from the attacks of enemies. In this vein, apology is the defense of the Christian faith. So could be called any work justifying faith in Christ. But in a narrow sense, the apology refers to the texts of early Christianity (II-III century). As a result of the struggle, a whole science appeared, connected with the defense of this faith, and it is called apologetics. Naturally, ardent advocates are called apologists. Later this term began to apply to people, in excess of measure zealous for protection of something. Enemies of Christianity at the time of its formation were abound - the Roman authorities, Jews, defenders of ancient religion and philosophy, and the protection of the emerging faith was conducted in these directions. In these years, the struggle was carried out with the help of political treatises. Therefore, the ancient apology is journalism.

The work of the French historian

Other works by this name are also known. For example, Mark Bloch's "Apology of History" (1886-1944), a French historian, one of the founders of the famous magazine "Annals" and the school of the same name, in which he sets forth his views on history as a science and develops new approaches to its study. In his work "The Apology of History, or the Craft of a Historian", published in 1986, the author considers a person in time, explaining the fact that the human consciousness changes from century to century under the influence of many factors, that is, a view of the same historical event Changes with time, and the historian must take this fact into account. Conclusion he does the following: knowledge of the past should make the life of subsequent generations better.

Unexpected application

In the most unexpected places one can find the term "apology". "Allods" - the most famous role-playing game, which is an RPG (games for passing) with elements of strategy. "Allods" is a fictional universe with its own history. The plot line is this: once the unified universe was destroyed by a crashed comet and the prosperous Sarnaut split into separate pieces (Great Cataclysm). The astral absorbs these worlds. The essence of "Allods" is to preserve the survivor. All allods are connected by a portal. The game since the creation of all the time is complemented by new episodes. So, on the Russian server not so long ago the guild "ApologiaYa" was developed. Allods is a domestic product created by Nival, which originated two years before Google. Nival (the domestic developer of computer games) based on the huge world of "Allods", such games as "Lost in the Astral", "Damned Lands" and "Legends of the Allods" were produced.