Although in these writings Plato seems to present his own philosophy, this happens often under the strong influence of his master. Especially in Plato's earlier dialogues, written soon after 399 BCE, it is possible to make out many traits of Socrates' own philosophical thoughts. These dialogues include
Apology, Crito, Laches, Charmides, Euthyphro, Hippias Minor, Ion, Republic I, and
Protagoras from Plato's first period; and
Lysis, Euthydemus, Hippias Major, Menexenus, Meno, and
Gorgias from his second period. The middle dialogues (
Symposium, Cratylus, Phaedo, Republic II–X, Phaedrus, Parmenides, and
Theaetetus) and the late ones (
Timaeus, Critias, Sophist, Statesman, Philebus, and
Laws) are much closer to Plato's own than to his master's philosophy. Unlike Plato, Xenophon was not present at Socrates' trial and death and wrote his
logoi many years after 399. His Socratic works are
Apology, Symposium, Oeconomicus, and
Memorabilia. Other primary sources outside the Socratic circle are supplied by the Attic comedy. Socrates was used as a comic character in Ameipsias' Connus and Aristophanes' Clouds, two of the three comedies performed for the first time in Athens in 423 BCE. Of these dramatic works only Clouds survives complete, though in a revised edition.
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