Socrates

Little is known about Socrates's real life and beliefs. In the Phaedo, he appears to function as Plato's mouthpiece, articulating his views about the soul, physical reality, death and so on. The Phaedo finds Socrates in prison, awaiting his death by drinking poison. His friends and family come to visit him for the last time but a philosophical conversation breaks out between him and his friends over the philosophical issues raised by his death. Socrates is not afraid to die but he is not completely convinced of the arguments he has used to show that he will survive death and have a happy afterlife.

Socrates's friends are worried about his fate, particularly his friends Cebes and Simmias. They fear for his death and wonder whether the soul can survive death. Socrates reports that he is convinced that it does but Cebes and Simmias want to hear his arguments...