8/14/2019 Biography of Socrates.docx

1/2

Biography of SocratesSOCRATES, the celebrated Greek philosopher and moralist, was born at Athens in

the year 469 B.C. His father, Sophroniskus, was a sculptor and he followed thesame profession in the early part of his life. He had the usual education of the

Athenian citizen, which included not only a knowledge of the mother tongue, andreadings in the Greek poets, but also the elements of arithmetic, geometry and

astronomy as then known. Excepting in connection with his philosophical career,

few circumstances of his life are known. He served as a hoplite, or heavy-armedfoot-soldier, at the siege of Potidaea, at some battles.

Somewhere about the middle period of his life, he relinquished his profession as

statuary, and gave himself up to the career that made him famous. Deservedly

styled a philosopher, he neither secluded himself for study, nor opened a school for

the regular instruction of pupils. He disclaimed the appellation of teacher; hispractice was to talk or converse, "to prattle without end," as his enemies said. Early

in the morning he frequented the public walks, the gymnasia for bodily training,and the school where youths were receiving instruction; he was to be seen at the

market-place at the hour when it was most crowded, among the booths and tableswhere goods were exposed for sale. His whole day was usually spent in this public

manner. He talked with any one, young or old, rich or poor, who sought to addresshim, and in the hearing of all who stood by. As it was engaging, curious, and

instrutive to hear, certain persons made it their habit to attend him in public as

companions and listeners.

Another peculiarity of Socrates was his persuasion of a special religious mission,

of which he believed that he had received oracular intimation. About the timewhen he began to have repute as a wise man, an admirer and friend, Chaerephon,

consulted the oracle at Delphi, as to whether any man was wiser than Socrates. Thepriestess replied "none." The answer, he said, perplexed him very much; for he was

conscious to himself that he possessed no wisdom, on any subject, great or small.At length he resolved to put the matter to the test, by taking measure of the wisdom

of other persons as compared with his own. Selecting a leading politician,

accounted wise by himself and others, he put a series of questions to him, andfound his supposed wisdom was no wisdom at all. He next tried to demonstrate to

the politician himself how much he was deficient; but he refused to be convinced.He then saw a meaning in the oracle, to the effect that his superiority to others lay

not in his wisdom, but in his being fully conscious of his ignorance. He tried thesame experiment on other politicians, then on poets, and lastly on artists and

artisans, and with the same result. Thereupon, he considered it as a duty imposed

8/14/2019 Biography of Socrates.docx

2/2

on him by the Delphian god, to cross-question men of all degrees, as to their

knowledge, to make them conscious of their ignorance, and so put them in the wayof becoming wise. According to Xenophon, he would pass from his severe cross-

questioning method, and address to his hearers plain and homely precepts,

inculcating self-control, temperance, piety, duty to parents, brotherly love, fidehtyin friendship, diligelice, etc.

Cicero said that "Socrates brought down philosophy from the the heavens to the

earth." The previous philosophies consisted of vast and vague speculations onnature as a whole, blending together Cosmogony, Astronomy, Geometry, Physics,

Metaphysics, etc. Socrates had studied these systems, and they had left on his mind

a feeling of emptiness and unsuitability for any human purpose. It seemed to himthat men's endeavors after knowledge would be better directed to human

relationships, as involving men's practical concerns. Accordingly he was the first to

proclaim that "the proper study of mankind is man;" human nature, human dutiesand human happiness make up a field of really urgent and profitable inquiry.

In the year 400 B.C., an indictment was laid against Socrates, in the following

terms; "Socates is guilty of crime; first, for not worshipping the gods whom thecity worships, and for introducing new divinities of his own; next for corrupting

the youth. The penalty due is death." The trial took place before a court composedof citizen-judges, like our juries, but far more numerous; the number present seems

to have been 557. His defense is preserved by Plato, under the title Apology of

Socrates. He dwelt on his mission to convit men of their ignorance for their

ultimate benefit; pronounced himself a public blessing to the Athenians; declaredthat if his life was preserved he would continue in the same course; and regarded

the prospect of death with utter indifference. By a majority of five or six he wasadjudged guilty and sentenced to death by poison. The last day of his life he passed

in conversation with his friends on the Immortality of the soul. He then drank thehemlock, and passed away with the dignity and calmness becoming his past career.