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Matthew Simko
CLAS1120U
7/15/19
Early Life
● Plato was born in 428/427 B.C.E in
Athens, Greece to father Ariston and
mother Perictione
● Plato’s family claimed to be descended
from the Greek god Poseidon and
were believed to be part of the
aristocracy
● Plato’s father Ariston is said to have
died early on in Plato’s life and
Perictione after married her uncle,
Pyrilampes
Plato and Socrates
● Plato was a follower of Socrates
and it is believed he was a part of a
“circle” centered around Socrates
● Socrates was the main influence on
Plato’s life and was believed to be
the source of Plato’s writings
● In many of Plato’s works, he writes
from the perspective of Socrates
The Death of Socrates and Travelling
● A time of political instability hit
Athens after the defeat by Sparta
and end of the Peloponnesian war
● Socrates was put on trial and found
guilty of “corrupting the youth” and
was promptly executed in 399 B.C.E
● After Socrates’ death, Plato is
believed to have travelled to places
in Greece, Italy, and Egypt
The Epistles of Plato
● This letter was addressed to Perdiccas III who was the king of Macedon
● In the letter, Plato agrees that he will counsel Euphraeus “…to look
studiously after your interests…”
● Plato does go on to say, however, that it would be beneficial to
Perdiccas to listen to Euphraeus and that “The man can be of service to
you in many ways…”
● Lastly Plato explains his celibacy from politics and that he does not take
part in causes he finds to be hopeless as he writes “If we seemed to him
incurable, he would bid us a long farewell and refrain from advising
about me or my affairs.”
Eighth Letter