上句见：Day156
The Story of Philosophy的第157句：第1章Plato第2节II. Socrates第13段第3句：

The rest of the story all the world know, for Plato wrote it down in prose more beautiful than poetry. We are privileged to read for ourselves that simple and courageous (if not legendary)"apology," or defense, in which the first martyr of philosophy proclaimed the rights and necessity of free thought, upheld his value to the state, and refused to beg for mercy from the crowd whom he had always contemned. They had the power to pardon him; he disdained to make the appeal. It was a singular confirmation of his theories , that the judges should wish to let him go, while the angry crowd voted for his death. Had he not denied the gods? Woe to him who teaches men faster than they can learn.
浙江大学译本：他们有权赦免他，但他不屑于请求。

解析

这句讲述双方的态度。一方有权，但另一方拒绝主动请求。体现了苏格拉底对自己信念的坚持，不请求赦免。赦免是对罪的宽恕，如果请求，意味着自己有罪的，这样就否定了自己。
1、They had the power to pardon him;
民众：有权赦免他。
pardon： to officially say that someone who is guilty of a crime will be allowed to go free and will not be punished赦免
As an outgoing president, Trump did not pardon any of the many Capitol attackers. 作为一个即将离任的总统，特朗普并没有赦免任何一位国会攻击者。《VOA》

2、he disdained to make the appeal.
苏格拉底：他不屑于提出请求。
disdain： to refuse to do (something) because of feelings of dislike or disapproval不屑于
Gilbert obligingly rowed to the landing and Anne, disdaining assistance, sprang nimbly on shore.吉尔伯特殷勤地划到码头，安妮不屑于帮助，敏捷地跳上岸。《绿山墙的安妮》

他们有权赦免他，但他不屑于提出请求。