PLATO

BIOGRAPHY

-was born in the month Thargelion (May-June) of the first year of the eighty-eight Olympiad by the reckoning of the scholars of Alexandria 428-7 BC of our own era.
-son of Ariston and Perictione
-birth falls in the 4th year of Archimidian War, in the year following the death of Pericles.
-died at the age of 80 or 81 in Ol. (348-7 BC)
-authority under Great Alexandrian Chronologist Erastothenes.

-death-10 yrs. before the battle of Chaeronea, which finally secured to Philip of Macedonia the hegemony of Hellenic world.
-considered as the 1st feminist because of his work The Republic
His family-one of the most distinguished in the Athens of Periclean age.

MAJOR WORKS

Plato-wrote his books in the form of dialogues; more interesting to read

THE REPUBLIC
-begins by raising 2 questions: What is justice? and is the man also the happiest man?
-proceeds inductively until Plato uncovers the ultimate principles of reality-presents a political theory in which the ideal state is directed by the wisdom of the Philosopher-King.
-form as the ultimate principles of ethical judgement.

-Plato descends deductively until he establishes that the just man is truly the happiest man.
-it presents the definition of justice and in the individual and in the state and the education of the ruling element in the state and in the soul.

SYMPOSIUM
-takes for its subject the metaphysics of love and attempts to connect man's feeling for beauty with Plato's theory of ideas.

-love is examined in a sequence of speeches by men attending a symposium, or drinking party.

PHAEDRUS
-companion dialogues to the symposium
-persons of the dialogue
-the forms are presented as the ultimate constituents of love and beauty.

-represents a happy picnic day to celebrate the completion of The Republic.

PHAEDO
-is both an artistic and philosophic masterpiece
-the dialogue is referred to as Plato's treatise on the soul.
-proving personal immortality
-is Socrates' last conversation with his friends and disciples
-confident and cheerful (Socrates)

KEY CONCEPTS

• Equality of women
• Platonic Love
• The True Psychology of Love
• Tendance of Soul

"Everything is part of nature"
"Her feet are tender, for she sets her steps, Not on the ground but on the heads of men."
"Man is the measure of all things"
As wolves love lambs so lovers love their loves"
"One knows that he does not know"
"We men are chattels of God"