Plato

pla'to (427-347 B. C.), an Athenian philosopher. He came of a scholarly family. He was well educated in grammar, music, and gymnastics. When about twenty years of age he came under the influence of the great teacher, Socrates, and became his favorite pupil and companion. When Socrates was accused of heretical teaching Plato appeared before the judges and offered to pay any fine which might be imposed. He was prostrated by Socrates' death. He wrote a series of dialogues in which Socrates is the leading speaker. The chief of these are the Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. They are written on a lofty moral plane, unsurpassed outside of Holy Writ. Truthfulness, right living, honesty, justice, kindliness to all creatures, piety, and belief in the immortality of the soul are inculcated in a simplicity of language that approaches the sublime. The Socratic method of leading one's opponent to better understanding of the topic by drawing him out through a series of simple questions is brought out fully in the dialogues. Still other writings, cast also in the form of imaginary dialogues, embody the sentiments of Socrates and the reflections of Plato. Taken as a whole, they mirror the condition of Athenian society four centuries before the Christian era,--love, beauty, law, government, rhetoric, the science of language, psychology, the art of reasoning. His Republic in particular has had influence in the shaping of modern political institutions.