Socrates was not only a philosopher but also a hardened Athenian soldier, serving as a hoplite in three major campaigns of the Peloponnesian War. He was a man of incredible physical toughness. During the winter siege of Potidaea, while other soldiers wore heavy furs, Socrates walked barefoot on the ice in his usual light cloak. In that same campaign, he saved the life of the young Alcibiades but refused to accept the prize for valor, an honor usually including a crown and a suit of armor. Later, at the Battle of Delium, witnesses said he retreated with such a calm, steady gaze that the pursuing enemy was too intimidated to attack.
Socrates: The Man Who Taught the World to Question
Socrates, the Athenian who wrote nothing yet founded Western philosophy by asking questions, and the trial in 399 BCE that sentenced him to death.
Chapter 1
The Soldier on the Ice
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Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Socrates considered wise if he claimed to know nothing?
The Oracle at Delphi declared no man wiser than Socrates. He concluded this meant not that he possessed knowledge, but that he alone was aware of his own ignorance. Others falsely believed they knew things, which in his view made them less wise.
What was the Socratic method?
Also called the 'elenchus', it was a form of questioning designed to reveal contradictions in a person's beliefs. Socrates acted as a 'midwife of the soul', helping others give birth to their own ideas by stripping away false assumptions, rather than providing answers himself.
Why did Socrates accept his death sentence instead of escaping?
His friends arranged for his escape, but Socrates refused. He argued that since he had lived his entire life under the protection of Athenian laws, it would be an injustice to disobey them now, even when the verdict was wrong. He chose to honor his principles over his own life.
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