Chess Online

Play online chess!

From	Message
pablo7 05-Feb-09, 06:39	Plato favorite dialogs, favorite quotes or even favorite characters. this post is a homage to both Plato and Socrates. My personal favorite dialogue is apology in which Socrates is in the court room appealing to his accusers, he states boldly and firmly that he is not guilty of corrupting the youth, worshiping other gods, or creating new deities, but that in fact he was merely fulfilling a task that was given to him by the gods. I like this passage because he states that the oracle of Delphi was right in saying that there was no one wiser than him. Not because he himself was wise, but because he was the only one to recognize that in fact he was not wise. In this text he explains how he went to see all sorts of men who thought themselves wise, and after questioning them realized that they were not wise, they merely thought they were. When he went to the poets, who by Greek standards were thought to be some of the wisest of all men - referencing mostly to Homer - "I went to the poets; tragic, dithyrambic, and all sorts. And there, I said to myself, you will be detected; now you will find out that you are more ignorant than they are. Accordingly, I took them some of the most elaborate passages in their own writings, and asked what was the meaning of them - thinking that they would teach me something. Will you believe me? I am almost ashamed to speak of this, but still I must say that there is hardly a person present who would not have talked better about their poetry than they did themselves. That showed me in an instant that not by wisdom do poets write poetry, but by a sort of genius and inspiration; they are like diviners or soothsayers who also say many fine things, but do not understand the meaning of them. And the poets appeared to me to be much in the same case; and I further observed that upon the strength of their poetry they believed themselves to be the wisest of men in other things in which they were not wise." "pablo7"
rilke 08-Feb-09, 07:48	The Apology Is one of my favorites from the classical literature. Indeed Socrates lecture his accusers for being ignorant and narrow minded. Socrates firmly lived his life the way he preached. The man was not afraid of dying.
coopershawk 08-Feb-09, 09:35	Thanks Thanks to both of you for reminding me that I have not reread Plato since my college days, 40 years ago. He deserves better and is going into my short term tbr stack.
kepler07 12-Feb-09, 01:21	Phaedrus From early in Phaedrus: Soc. Lead on, and look out for a place in which we can sit down. Phaedr. Do you see the tallest plane-tree in the distance? Soc. Yes. Phaedr. There are shade and gentle breezes, and grass on which we may either sit or lie down. Soc. Move forward. Phaedr. I should like to know, Socrates, whether the place is not somewhere here at which Boreas is said to have carried off Orithyia from the banks of the Ilissus? Soc. Such is the tradition. Phaedr. And is this the exact spot? The little stream is delightfully clear and bright; I can fancy that there might be maidens playing near. Soc. I believe that the spot is not exactly here, but about a quarter of a mile lower down, where you cross to the temple of Artemis, and there is, I think, some sort of an altar of Boreas at the place. Phaedr. I have never noticed it; but I beseech you to tell me, Socrates, do you believe this tale? Soc. The wise are doubtful, and I should not be singular if, like them, I too doubted. I might have a rational explanation that Orithyia was playing with Pharmacia, when a northern gust carried her over the neighbouring rocks; and this being the manner of her death, she was said to have been carried away by Boreas. There is a discrepancy, however, about the locality; according to another version of the story she was taken from Areopagus, and not from this place. Now I quite acknowledge that these allegories are very nice, but he is not to be envied who has to invent them; much labour and ingenuity will be required of him; and when he has once begun, he must go on and rehabilitate Hippocentaurs and chimeras dire. Gorgons and winged steeds flow in apace, and numberless other inconceivable and portentous natures. And if he is sceptical about them, and would fain reduce them one after another to the rules of probability, this sort of crude philosophy will take up a great deal of time. Now I have no leisure for such enquiries; shall I tell you why? I must first know myself, as the Delphian inscription says; to be curious about that which is not my concern, while I am still in ignorance of my own self, would be ridiculous. And therefore I bid farewell to all this; the common opinion is enough for me. For, as I was saying, I want to know not about this, but about myself: am I a monster more complicated and swollen with passion than the serpent Typho, or a creature of a gentler and simpler sort, to whom Nature has given a diviner and lowlier destiny? But let me ask you, friend: have we not reached the plane-tree to which you were conducting us? Phaedr. Yes, this is the tree. Soc. By Here, a fair resting-place, full of summer sounds and scents. Here is this lofty and spreading plane-tree, and the agnus cast us high and clustering, in the fullest blossom and the greatest fragrance; and the stream which flows beneath the plane-tree is deliciously cold to the feet. Judging from the ornaments and images, this must be a spot sacred to Achelous and the Nymphs. How delightful is the breeze:-so very sweet; and there is a sound in the air shrill and summerlike which makes answer to the chorus of the cicadae. But the greatest charm of all is the grass, like a pillow gently sloping to the head. My dear Phaedrus, you have been an admirable guide.
cyna 19-Feb-09, 11:47	For Socrates, of whom the Delphic oracle said there was no man wiser: Philosophile Father of Philosophy, Explorer of The Mind; you've taken us further than any of your kind. As well as in what you taught, 'twas how you lived your life; fully living each fleeting moment, and dying peacefully, despite the strife. Why we don't have a mind like yours, of the Oracle, 'tis all I'd ask; the earth would be a better place, our lives in balance; mind on task. O Socrates, Lover of Wisdom - Ye Philosphile, Leader of Reason; 'tis no small thing to be a logical and most wise Martyr of Treason. by Cynthia Gaines, aka Poet Muse allpoetry.com
rilke 11-Aug-09, 10:17	The Cave This is one of the most wonderful mythological stories we have in Literature. Thanh you Plato !!
rilke 17-Aug-10, 07:30	The Symposium Is another great story. "drinking together"
obsteve 18-Aug-10, 02:30	oo, this is interesting! Apparently Plato used some sort of 'musical code' in his texts... news.bbc.co.uk Sound credible? Also from the same page- ""Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something"
rilke 12-Nov-10, 07:10	Socrates We know about Socrates, because of his disciple Plato.
rilke 10-Apr-20, 16:12	In this particular order , one was a disciple from the other one. Socrates, Plato and Aristotle.
kewois 11-Aug-20, 11:27	"When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself."
rilke 22-Oct-20, 01:12	It is said that Plato was related to the Solon (the poet) through his mother.

GameKnot: play chess online, chess teams, online chess puzzles, monthly chess tournaments, Internet chess league, chess clubs, free online chess games database and more.