Final answer:
Socrates was the philosopher who was tried and executed for 'corrupting the youth' and 'neglecting the gods' of Athens in 399 BCE. Despite a robust defense, he was found guilty and famously sentenced to death by hemlock poisoning, becoming a symbol of intellectual freedom and the philosophical quest for truth.
Step-by-step explanation:
The philosopher who was brought to trial and poisoned to death for "corrupting the youth of Athens" and "neglecting the city's gods" was Socrates. In 399 BCE, the Athenian government charged Socrates based on complaints by citizens like Meletus. Socrates faced allegations of impiety and corruption of the young. During his trial, as detailed in Plato's Apologia, Socrates defended his practice of philosophy and the pursuit of truth. Despite refuting the charges effectively and revealing no individuals who he had corrupted, Socrates was still found guilty by a jury, with a count of 281 to 219. He rejected the common practice of making emotional appeals for mercy, and after considering several penalties, even humorously suggesting free meals for life, he was ultimately sentenced to death by a larger vote. According to the accounts, Socrates accepted his fate with equanimity, refusing escape and arguing that it would be unjust to evade the sentence.
Socrates's legacy largely stems from his dedication to living a life of virtue and seeking wisdom, as well as his insistence on truth above fear, even in the face of death. His trial embodies the conflict between the pursuit of philosophical inquiry and the constraints of societal norms and government. For many, Socrates became a martyr for philosophy and intellectual freedom.