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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 took the young woman home when she was overcome with emotion?

2. What new activity did Socrates try while in prison?

3. What theory did the Pythagoreans have about the human soul?

4. What were Socrates and his partner debating about at the end of Book 5, Chapter 2?

5. Who is Phaedo?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the philosophical subject of Book 4?

2. Who is present at Socrates' execution?

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

4. What is the intended audience for Book 5?

5. What does Crito want Socrates to do?

6. What is "Idealism" in philosophy?

7. What is written in Book 5, Chapter 1, about risking the loss of one's life?

8. What is the setting of the Phaedo?

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

10. How does Crito attempt to persuade Socrates?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Compare the various scholars who contributed to "The Last Days of Socrates." What are their areas of expertise? Which portions of the text do they comment on, and why? How do they relate to the text of the dialogues? What do they challenge, or choose to explain? Be sure to cite specific examples from the text to support your thesis.

Essay Topic 2

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 3

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.

(see the answer keys)

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