Socrates Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Socrates - Essay Example As Cornelia de Vogel said, â€Å"The ‘real’ Socrates we have not: what we have is a set of interpretations each of which represents a ‘theoretically possible’ Socrates.† (de Vogel 1955). According to what is reported by Plato, Socrates was born to Sophroniscus, who is purported to be a stonemason and Phaenarete, who turned towards the profession of a midwife later on in her life. After the death of Sophroniscus, when Socrates was around 18 years old, Socrates’ mother remarried Chaeredemus who was the father of Patrocles, Socrates’ half-brother. Socrates was born at a time when literacy had become widespread among the males, with elementary schools teaching boys not only to read and write, but also gymnastics and music. So it is assumed that he also received formal education. Socrates was sent for the compulsory two years military training, after which he was on active duty in the army, fighting many a war and battles, as during this time too Athens was moving towards war with Sparta. Socrates fought in Potidaea, Spartolus, Delium, and finally, at Amphipolis, whereby he proved himself to be a brave and heroic soldier. It was during the last battle that he had the dialogue about the etymologies of words. After this battle, the treaty of Nicias between Athens and Sparta took place, which allowed Attica to flourish without any invasions. Socrates married around this time, when he also carried on with his dialogue about erotic love, democracy and mystery religion, a dialogue that would result in the participants being accused of sacrilege much later. Socrates wed Xanthippe, who is purported to be much younger than him and with whom he had three sons, their first born Lamprocles, named after Xanthippe’s father thus implying that Xanthippe’s father if not her family were more illustrious than Socrates’, Sophroniscus, named after Socrates’ father, and their youngest son was Menexenus. What Socrates