PLATO

THE LIFE OF PLATO

THE LIFE OF PLATO

THE LIFE OF PLATO

Some believe he was so named The name "Plato" comes from the Greek word platys, meaning "broad." His birth name was reportedly Aristocles. because of the abundance and wonderful breadth of his speech, or because he had a broad forehead, as Neanthes writes. There are also those who claim he practiced wrestling at the Isthmus, as Dicaearchus says in his first book On Lives. He was also a student of painting and wrote poems—first dithyrambs Hymns sung in honor of the god Dionysus., then lyrics and tragedies. His voice was thin, as Timotheus of Athens says in his book On Lives. It is also said that Socrates saw in a dream a swan chick The swan was a bird sacred to Apollo, the god of music and prophecy. growing feathers in his lap, which immediately sprouted wings and flew into the air, singing most sweetly. The next day, when Plato was recommended to him by his father, Socrates said that this was the swan he had seen.

Plato first began to practice philosophy in the Academy, then moved to the garden near Colonus, as Alexander wrote in the Successions, citing Heraclitus as a witness. Finally, when he was about to enter a tragic competition, having heard Socrates in front of the theater of Dionysus, he burned his poems, saying:

Come hither, Vulcan original: "Vulcane." The god of fire (Hephaestus in Greek), addressed here to consume the poems., for Plato has need of you in this matter.

From this time, being twenty years of age, he listened to Socrates. When Socrates passed away, he turned his attention to Cratylus, a disciple of Heraclitus, and to Hermogenes, who maintained the philosophy of Parmenides. Then, when he was twenty-eight years old, as Hermodorus says, he withdrew to Megara to join Euclid with several other followers of Socrates. From there he traveled to Cyrene and studied under Theodorus the mathematician, and from there to Italy to the Pythagoreans Philolaus and Eurytus. From these men he went to Egypt to visit the prophets and priests; they say Euripides followed him there, and having fallen ill, was cured by the priests with a sea-treatment, on account of which he later said:

The sea washes away all the evils of men. A famous line from Euripides' play Iphigenia in Tauris.

Indeed, he also said, following Homer, that all Egyptians are physicians. Plato had also intended to meet with the Magi The priestly caste of ancient Persia., but was prevented from this purpose by the wars in Asia. Returning to Athens, he spent his time in the Academy. This is a wooded place in the suburbs, named after a certain hero Academus, as Eupolis mentions in the Astrateuti, saying:

In the shaded walks of the god Academus.

But Timon also, speaking of Plato, says:

Among all of them, that most broad Plato led the way,
From whose mouth a melody flowed, like the sweet-voiced
cicadas that sing among the trees of Hecademus.

For previously it was written with an "e" as Hecademia. This philosopher was a friend of Isocrates. Indeed, Praxiphanes wrote of a certain school held between them concerning poets, when Isocrates was enjoying Plato's hospitality in the countryside. Aristoxenus is the authority for the claim that he served in the military three times: first at Tanagra, second at Corinth, and third at Delos, where he also achieved victory. He blended the doctrines of the Heracliteans, the Pythagoreans, and the Socratics: in those things which are subject to the senses, he followed Heraclitus; in those pertaining to the intellect, he followed Pythagoras; and in civil matters, he most embraced his own Socrates. Thus he joined a triple system of philosophy into one body. Some say (among whom is Satyrus) that he wrote to Dion in Sicily to buy him three Pythagorean books from Philolaus for one hundred minae A mina was a significant weight of silver; 100 minae was a very large sum, equal to over 40kg of silver.. For he was quite wealthy, having received more than eighty talents A talent was the largest unit of currency; 80 talents was a massive fortune, enough to pay thousands of workers for a year. from Dionysius. Just as...

Alexander says in the Successions that some think he was so named because of the breadth of his interpretation, or because he was broad in the forehead, as Neanthes says. There are some who say he also wrestled at the Isthmus, as Dicaearchus says in the first book On Lives; and that he applied himself to painting and wrote poems, first dithyrambs, then also lyrics and tragedies. They say he was thin-voiced, as Timotheus the Athenian also says in On Lives. It is said that Socrates saw in a dream that he had a swan chick in his knees, which immediately sprouted wings and flew up, crying out sweetly; and the next day Plato was introduced to him, and he said the bird was this man. He practiced philosophy at first in the Academy, then in the garden near Colonus, as Alexander says in the Successions according to Heraclitus. Then, however, when he was about to compete in Tragedy before the theater of Dionysus, having heard Socrates, he burned his poems, saying:

Hephaestus original: "Ἥφαιστε." The Greek god of fire and craftsmanship., come hither; Plato has need of you.

From then on, they say, being twenty years old, he attended Socrates' lectures. When he had departed, he attached himself to Cratylus the Heraclitean, and to Hermogenes who followed the philosophy of Parmenides. Then, at the age of twenty-eight (as Hermodorus says), he withdrew to Megara to Euclid with some other Socratics. Then he went to Cyrene to Theodorus the mathematician; and from there to Italy to the Pythagoreans, Philolaus and Eurytus; and from there to Egypt to the prophets, where they say Euripides also followed him, and having fallen ill there, he was cured by the priests with the treatment of the sea, whence he also said:

The sea washes away all the evils of men. original: "Θάλασσα κλύζει πάντα τἀνθρώπων κακά."

Moreover (according to Homer), he said all men of Egypt are physicians. Plato also decided to meet with the Magi; but because of the wars of Asia, he desisted. Returning to Athens, he spent time in the Academy. It is a gymnasium, a wooded suburb, named after a certain hero Academus, as Eupolis says in the Astrateuti:

In the well-shaded walks of the god Academus.

But Timon also, speaking against Plato, says:

Of all of them, the most broad led the way, but a sweet-speaking
orator, comparable to the cicadas, who sitting on
the trees of Hecademus, send forth a lily-like voice.

For formerly it was called Hecademia through the "e". The philosopher was also a friend of Isocrates. And Praxiphanes recorded a certain discussion between them concerning poets, which took place in the country when Isocrates was a guest of Plato. Aristoxenus says he served in the military three times, once at Tanagra, secondly at Corinth, and thirdly at Delium, where he also distinguished himself. He made a mixture of the discourses of Heraclitus, Pythagoras, and Socrates. For he philosophized on sensible things according to Heraclitus, on intelligible things according to Pythagoras, and on political things according to Socrates. Some say (including Satyrus) that he wrote to Dion in Sicily to buy three Pythagorean books from Philolaus for one hundred minae. For they say he was in affluent circumstances, having received more than eighty talents from Dionysius...