Imagine that I am about to escape, and the laws come and interrogate me: "Tell us, Socrates, what are you about? Are you not going by an act of yours to overturn us? Do you imagine that a state can subsist in which the decisions of law have no power, but are set aside and trampled on by individuals?" Any one will have a good deal to say on behalf of the law which requires that this law should not be set aside; and shall we replay, "Yes; but the state has injured us and given an unjust sentence."

Then the laws would say, "Consider, Socrates, if we are speaking truly in your present attempt [to escape us] you are going to do us an injury. Any one who does not like us and the city may go where he likes. But he who has experience of the manner in which we order justice, and still remains, has entered into an implied contract that he will do as we command him. And he who disobeys us is thrice wrong; first, because in disobeying us he is disobeying his parents; second, because we are the authors of his education; third, because he has made an agreement with us that he will duly obey our commands.