Summary Of Socrates Phaedo

Phaedo describes the moments before Socrates’ death to Echecrates; telling him about Socrates’ thoughts on the immortality of the personal soul. Phaedo ends by Socrates drinking poison and saying his final words to his dear friend Crito. Socrates teaches much about the nature of the personal soul, virtue, learning, and knowledge, however the Phaedo suggests these doctrines are intending to not be Socrates’ legacy. These suggestions are Socrates’ words to Cebes, his advice to his friends, and his final words. Each suggestion provides insight on Socrates’ legacy and how he wants that to be shown when he dies. In the Phaedo, Socrates, on his death bed, asks Cebes if he could suggest something to Cebes’ friend Evenus. He wants Cebes, to ask …show more content…
I am leaving today, it seems, as the Athenians so order it” (Cahn 51: 61c). One interpretation of this statement is that Socrates is telling Evenus to kill himself. Another suggestion that counteracts the first one is that Socrates is telling Evenus to follow him and his practices before he dies. Socrates adds “as soon as possible” because he knows he is going to die soon. He also wants more people to follow him and his beliefs, and if those people do follow him then they are going to be wise. They will be wise because they believe Socrates and his theories and that is what Socrates wants his legacy to be. I think that wise is a great word for Socrates to use because Socrates thinks that he himself is wise, so if people follow him then they are …show more content…
Socrates took the cup and calmly drank the poison. Once the poison began working he said his last words, “Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius, make this offering to him and do not forget” (Cahn 81: 118a), and then he died. The translator interprets his last words as “a cock was sacrificed to Asclepius by the sick people who slept in his temples, hoping for a cure [so] Socrates obviously means that death is a cure for the ills of life” (Cahn 81: 24). Socrates’ last words can be interpreted many different ways. For example, another interpretation is the cured are giving thanks for being cured. When the translator says, “Socrates obviously means that death is a cure for the ills of life,” I don’t think he is meaning that you should die to cure your ills. I think he meant that the sacrifice will help cure the person in need. Another way to interpret his words is thinking if Socrates is hoping for or giving thanks for the cure. I think that Socrates isn’t saying he is hoping for a cure for his life, but rather he wants to say thanks to Asclepius. Giving the cock to Asclepius was a sign of thanks for Socrates. Socrates’ final words shows how he wants others to know about his legacy. He thanks Asclepius because he was healed of the uncertainty of philosophy surviving and he left the world knowing that his arguments and practices were