What Role Did Socrates Play in Ancient Greece - 1494 Words

| What Role Did Socrates Play in Ancient Greece? | Natalia Gonzalez | | Mr. Pellegrini, 2A | 3/24/2010 | [Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document. Type the abstract of the document here. The abstract is typically a short summary of the contents of the document.] | What Role Did Socrates Play in Ancient Greece? In the leading city of Athens 2,500 years ago during the Golden Age, a peculiar philosopher was born into the reign of Pericles. Socrates went against common religion, influenced social roles and people, and was the founder of the Socratic Method. Religious opinions affected Socrates’ life a great deal. Whereas most Athenians observed polytheism and†¦show more content†¦They were very popular but loathed at the same time because of the financial problems they were causing. For example, the most famous sophist was called Corax. He had a student called Tisias who refused to pay the fee for his classes, he said â€Å"Before I started, you promised you would teach me to persuade anyone to do whatever I wanted. Let me now persuade you not to ask for your fee. If you still demand it, you did not do what you promised, therefore I owe you nothing.† However, Socrates discredited this, â€Å"However, not one of these things is true; nor, if you have heard from anyone t hat I attempt to teach men and require payment, is this true.† (Plato, n.d.). Socrates irritated people by insisting things that could not be true. Critobulus, who was considered by many to be the most handsome man in Athens. However, Socrates, with his protruding eyes and large nose insisted he was more stunning than Critobulus. Socrates defended this by saying things such as â€Å"Because while yours see straight ahead, mine, by bulging out as they do, see also to the sides,† and â€Å"Mine, I consider, granting that Providence made us noses to smell with. For your nostrils look down toward the ground, but mine are wide open and turned outward so that I can catch scents from all around.† (Zannos, 2004). Another story of Socrates impacting the life of an individual is shown by the dialogue that he had with a young man he met at a wrestling school named Lysis. Socrates admitted toShow MoreRelatedWhat did it mean for a man in Ancient Greece to lead a good life, ac cording to Platos’s four dialogs in the Trial and Death of Socrates?1010 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿What did it mean for a man in Ancient Greece to lead a good life, according to Platos’s four dialogs in the Trial and Death of Socrates? In Ancient Greece, leading a good life is rather more complex than it is in today’s society. It is evidenced in Plato’s four dialogs in The Trial and Death of Socrates. Through the dialogues of Socrates we can learn that in Ancient Greece education, religion, society in general, law and values played a major role on a person’s way of living a good life. InRead MoreThe Persian Royal Road Improve Governing And Communism Essay1737 Words   |  7 Pagesto question his authority due to respect for their religion. According to the Behistun inscription, what role does divinity play in human affairs? Divinity plays a major role in human affairs because the gods let Darius rule Persia. According to the document of Xerxes from Persepolis, did Alexander the Great possess the desired qualities of a ruler? 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