Most of the western world reveres Socrates as one of the fathers of philosophy. Born in 469
B.C., the man who introduced the concept that ‘virtue is knowledge’ actually wrote nothing.
Most of what survives was recorded by this student, the philosopher plato.
� � � � �Socrates served as a soldier in the Athenian army and fought bravely in three battles, but
there is little evidence that he had a fill-time job. In fact, it seems he spent most of his time
arguing in the Agra (marketplace), followed by his faithful students. Those included the best
and the best of Classical Athens- -from plato and Euclid, the father of geometry, to the politi-
cian Alcibiadis and some of the hated 30 tyrants who briefly suspended Athenian democracy in
404 B.C.
� � � � �It was in fact his connection with some of the tyrants that gave his enemies a reason to bring
Socrates to trial, accused of corrupting youth. In his Apology, or defence speech, as recorded by
plato, Socrates challenged his accusers in the style later described as Socratic Irony - - meaning
pretending ignorance, His judges sentenced him to death by poison, a sentence which he carried
out by drinking a cup of hemlock.