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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who was the young woman at Socrates' execution?

2. Why did Socrates plead with Crito to listen to his reasoning?

3. What did Crito say about Socrates' dream?

4. What is misanthropy?

5. How did Phaedo describe Socrates' execution?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Socrates think will happen after his death?

2. Why is Socrates' execution delayed?

3. What do Socrates' friends say about suicide, and the preservation of life, in the "Phaedo"?

4. What evidence led Plato and the Pythagoreans to the theory of an eternal soul?

5. What conclusion do Socrates and Crito reach regarding the laws of the land?

6. What new habit do Socrates' friends discover in the "Phaedo"?

7. What does Crito want Socrates to do?

8. What is the setting of Book 4?

9. Who is present at Socrates' execution?

10. What was the Pythagorean school of thought?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Socrates denies the accusation that he tries to teach; he claims that he is only an ignorant man who is inquisitive in an effort to gain knowledge. How sincere do you think his profession of ignorance is? Do you think he really believes it? Or is it simply an effort to circumvent the pride of learned men and get them to talk to him, even though he is challenging their beliefs? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

Socrates refuted the idea that he was wise and claimed that the only way in which he might be exceptionally wise is in acknowledging the extent of his own ignorance and uncovering that of others. Do you agree that this is a very specific type of wisdom? Do you agree that this is the only type of wisdom that Socrates possessed? Why or why not? Do you think he was sincere in his assessment of his own ignorance? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Dreams figure prominently in the dialogues. What events took place in conjunction with dreams? What did Socrates do as a result of dreams that he had? Do you think that everyone in Athenian culture relied on their dreams as heavily as Socrates? Why or why not? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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