Plato

Statue of Plato-Platon. Handmade of alabaster,and painted in museum patina.

Plato (l. 428/427 – 348/347 BCE) is considered the pre-eminent Greek philosopher, known for his Dialogues and for founding his Academy north of Athens, traditionally considered the first university in the western world. Born Aristocles, son of Ariston of the deme Colytus, Plato had two older brothers (Adeimantus and Glaucon).  Who both feature famously in Plato’s dialogue Republic, and a sister Potone.

He is known by the nickname ‘Plato’ which was given him by his wrestling coach.  Because of his broad shoulders (in Greek ‘Platon’ means broad). His family was aristocratic and well-connected politically and it seems Plato was expected to pursue a career in politics. His interests, however, tended more toward the arts and, in his youth, he wrote plays and, perhaps, poetry.

Socrates and Plato

When he was in his late teens or early twenties, Plato heard Socrates teaching in the market.  And abandoned his plans to pursue a literary career as a playwright.  He burned his early work and devoted himself to philosophy.  Socrates’ execution had a great impact on the then 28 year old and he left Athens to travel, visiting Egypt and Italy among other places, before returning to his homeland to write his dialogues and set up the Academy. His Dialogues almost all feature Socrates as the main character.  But whether this is an accurate portrayal of Socrates’ actions and beliefs has long been contested.

After abandoning his literary pursuits , Plato wrote the foundational philosophic works of the ancient world which would go on to influence world culture. The three great monotheistic religions of the world owe much to Platonic thought whether directly or through the works of his student and friend Aristotle (l. 384-322 BCE), whose teachings remained consistent with Plato’s vision of the importance of caring for one’s soul and maintaining a virtuous lifestyle even though Aristotle would depart from some of the specifics of Plato’s philosophy.