Death of Socrates: a likely case of poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) poisoning

Abstract

Introduction

The death of Socrates in 399 BCE is described in Plato’s dialogue, the Phaedo, written an unknown time afterwards from accounts by others.

The evidence

Socrates’ death has almost always been attributed to his drinking an extract of poison hemlock, Conium maculatum, despite apparent discrepancies between the clinical features described in classical translations of the Phaedo and general clinical experience of poisoning with the toxic alkaloids it contains.

Evaluation

Recent acute philological analysis of the original Greek text has resolved many of the discrepancies by showing that the terms used in the classical translations were misinterpretations of the clinical signs described. It is also likely that the unpleasant clinical effects, such as vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhoea and muscle fasciculation commonly described in modern reports of poison hemlock poisoning, were not mentioned to present the death of Socrates in a way consistent with his philosophical ideals and those of his pupil Plato.

Conclusions

Seen in this way, the death of Socrates can be accepted as a limited case report of Conium maculatum poisoning. Even after reaching that conclusion, intriguing scientific questions remain about the toxicity of the coniine alkaloids and the mechanisms of their effects.

Keywords:

• Poison hemlock
• Conium maculatum
• Phaedo
• Socrates
• clinical features
• political execution

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Additional information

Funding

The author reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.