The Phaedo was a nice read, and worked very well with our discussion of Arche in class last week. It's almost like they were planned to go together. Either way, it was nice to see a new side of Socratic discourse in this recollection of Socrates' final hours. That is, the discourse of patronizing Socrates.
In the Phaedo, Socrates spent considerable time lecturing rather than discussing. Sure, Cebes and Simmias were listening intently, but they kept brushing off Socrates. Socrates would make a new point or assumption, and Cebes would just go, "Of course it is Socrates/Sure, Socrates/You say it is so, Socrates/Yes, S0c-YOU'RE ABOUT TO DIE, THIS SUCKS." Only one of those is made up. I like that even on his literal deathbed, Socrates took to making a point, which just happened to coincide with assuaging everyone's sorrows about his death. And while he goes on making this point, his followers are too worried about his imminent departure to appreciate the consolation they're getting in the present. "Just keep saying yes, he'll run out of wind eventually." Too bad that happened due to hemlock rather than air supply.
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