Socrates

As a young man, Socrates worked as a stone mason and he fought heroically in the Peloponnesion War. Later he was charged with two crimes which was corruption of Athens youth and for not believing in the gods of the state. In defense he said, it is my duty to gadfly to the lazy sluggish Athens. A jury of 500 male citizens found him guilty, and (279-221) sentenced to death by drinking hemlock. He did have the opportunity to escape but he refused he wanted to prove his loyalty to Athenian Democracy.