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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. Which is the longest of the four dialogues?

2. What did Crito offer Socrates?

3. In what area of thought did the Pythagorean school excel?

4. What was the relationship, according to Crito and Socrates, between just actions and natural ones?

5. What did Socrates expect when he passed into the Underworld, according to his dialogue with Crito?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was the Pythagorean school of thought?

2. What is the "transmigration of souls"?

3. What does Socrates say about misanthropy and "mislogic"?

4. What is said, in Book 4, about Socrates' dream?

5. What belief do Socrates' friends discuss in the "Phaedo" that was taught in formal philosophical education, but was not culturally popular?

6. What is the philosophical subject of Book 4?

7. What is the setting of Book 4?

8. What does Tarrant use as an example to illustrate the differences in mentality, in this section, regarding death and suicide?

9. What does Crito want Socrates to do?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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.

Essay Topic 2

Choose one of the characters in "The Last Days of Socrates." What was this person's relationship to Socrates? Did this person affect Socrates' decisions in any way? If so, how? What were this person's core beliefs? What topic did they debate with Socrates? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 3

Who is Meletus? Why did he choose to prosecute Socrates? What evidence did his use as a basis for his prosecution? Why did he seek the death penalty for Socrates? Was he acting on behalf of the Athenian government? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

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