SOCRATES AND HIS FRIENDS



ARISTOPHANES ' views:

Was Socrates a teacher? YES
Did Socrates do natural sciences? YES
Did Socrates accept money? YES
Was Socrates a Sophist? YES
Did Socrates believe in the gods? NO
Was Socrates a ‘martyr'’ NO, a fraud.


XENOPHON 's views:

Was Socrates a teacher? YES
Did Socrates do natural sciences? NO
Did Socrates accept money? NO
Was Socrates a Sophist? YES ?
Did Socrates believe in the gods? YES
Was Socrates a ‘martyr'’ NO (?) a voluntary suicide.


PLATO 's views:

Was Socrates a teacher? YES
Did Socrates do natural sciences? NO
Did Socrates accept money? NO
Was Socrates a Sophist? NO
Did Socrates believe in the gods? YES
Was Socrates a ‘martyr'’ ? YES, a Hero for Truth






There are only three contemporary written sources for Socrates' career:


  • (1) ARISTOPHANES, the comic poet, who produced a play about Socrates, called the Clouds, in ca. 425 B.C.

  • (2) XENOPHON, born ca. 430 B. C., a conservative pro-Spartan and pro-aristocratic pupil of Socrates. He later became a military commander and an historian and essayist. He wrote Memorabilia in three books about Socrates.

  • (3) PLATO, born ca. 427, a descendant of Solon's father, and thus a member of the Athenian ex-royal family. A professional philosopher, who wrote a quartet of tracts on Socrates' last days: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo.



  

 

January 26, 2010 1:03 PM

John Paul Adams, CSUN
john.p.adams@csun.edu

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