ColdFire Meditations

Here we have the final page of Phaedo. One of Plato's Socratic Dialogues. It is about the death of Socrates. These are the last words and the death of Socrates. This passage as well as this book moves me every time I read it. As if I lost my own dear mentor.
Why is Socrates the Philosopher that every person on earth knows without question? how can people know nothing of philosophy yet know his name immediately?
It was because he was a good man.
Socrates lived and died as a man of his philosophy. He loved his wife unconditionally, even though she was the notorious nag of Athens and was often questioned why he stayed. He showed kindness and patience for children. He had an amazing sense of humor. He is admired by every stoic since as well he should be. We should all strive to be as interested in the world as he was.
Remembering what he taught us, when Meletus told him he could live if he never spoke or thought again about philosophy and life. His response, even on pain of death?
He said at his trial, “An unexamined life is not worth living” and sealed his fate

Every day we wake up we should think of Socrates. A human worth anyone's time. If you wish to learn more you can often find Plato's works on Socrates Teachings in used book stores. Often you can find a collection usually titled “the trial and death of Socrates” or similar, which contains 4-5 dialogues. My personal favorite is Crito.

I will leave you with a thought, put forth by Seneca the Younger in his “Letters From a Stoic”. saying, “though we all may not be a Socrates, we should strive to be like one, and strive to be remembered like he”