“For so I was commanded by the god, through oracles and dreams, and by every other form of divination.”Platon · Apologia lui Socrate · -399 · Apologia, 33c
Whoever believes they have a calling does not bargain with danger.
In his defense at trial, Socrates reveals his deepest motivation: not personal conviction, but an order he takes to come from the god. The mechanism is simple: if the mission comes from above, refusing it would be disobedience to the divine, and death becomes a small price. A person who believes he has received a calling does not bargain with danger; he keeps going even when the court threatens him.
Why it matters It resonates with anyone following a vocation — doctor, teacher, artist — who must explain why they will not quit, even when the personal cost is high.