Socrates
(c.470-399BC)
One of the
greatest philosophers in Western tradition, known to us through his pupil
Plato, the historian Xenophon and other ancient sources. Other famous pupils
and/or friends of his were Aristippus and Antisthenes, and he influenced Romans
like Seneca and Marcus Aurelius.
Socrates was born in Athens , son of a sculptor, Sophroniscus, and a midwife,
Phaenarete. He was educated in literature, music and gymn-astics and also
rhetorics, dialectics and sophism. He is described as short and ugly, looking
like Silenus, and he himself would make jokes about his appearance. His wife
was the angry Xanthippe.
Before becoming known as a philosopher he worked as a sculptor, and was wealthy
enough to have a house of his own and money lent out in return for a favourable
interest. At the age of about 40 he served in the infantry of the Athenian
army during the Peloponnesian War. After the oracle in Delphi had said he
was the wisest man in the world, Socrates spent the rest of his life as a
speaker and teacher.
His famous quote "I only know that I know nothing" very much reflects his
views. He believed he was ignorant as well as people in general, and he tried
to help them understand this through dialogues where he asked questions and
let the subject through his own answers come to realizasion of whatever the
matter was. To him, man was born good, but ignorance makes his actions bad
sometimes. The only true virtue is knowledge. Through argumentation and definitions
of ethical ideas one could get on the right path. "Know thyself",
he said.
Althought well-known, Socrates was not popular with everybody. Aristophanes
satirized him, the Sophist were his opponents and many believed he had a hand
in the aristocratic revolt of 404 BC, which for a short time interrupted the
democracy. Eventually this led to Socrates being charged of impiety and corruption
of Athens's youth at the age of about 70. The philosopher defended himself,
but was found guilty by 281 votes against 220 and sentenced to death. Socrates
said to the Athenians: "And now our paths part- I go to Death while you go
to Life. Who goes to the better only God knows."
Although offered help to escape by his friends and pupils Socrates decided
against it, talking about how the citizen must obey the laws and decisions
of the authorities. After having said goodbye to his wife and children, and
having some conversations about the immortality of the soul with his friends
and disciples, Socrates finally drank the poison that a guard, full of excuses,
had given him.
