Ancient Athens was the leading cultural center of the Greek world. Many of the most gifted writers of Greece lived there. They wrote works of drama, history, lyric poetry, but mostly studied in philosophy that have influenced literature for centuries. Athenian architects built masterpieces of classical beauty, and the ruins of many of these structures may still be seen. The government of ancient Athens provided an example of democracy that has inspired lawmakers ever since. Philosophy was a vast field in ancient Athens. Philosophers examine many different fields and views that other people have. The difference between virtue, morality, immortality, and death are just a few of the many different topics, which can be covered under the umbrella of philosophy. Philosophers are thought to be the people who are supposed to be experts on all these areas. The have well thought out opinions, and they are very learned people.
Socrates (470 B.C.-399 B.C.) was born near Athens, and spent most of his life in Athens. He married women named Xanthippe, who was rumored in the town to be a mean and short-tempered woman. Together they had three sons. As a young man Socrates spent most of his time in conversations with a wide range of Athenians, b
According to the oracle there was no man was wiser than Socrates, which was the cause of his life threatening debut because people were becoming instigated because of his questions and interrogations. Socrates was the first philosopher to make a clear distinction between body and soul and to place higher value on the soul. His examination of such moral ideas and courage were the leading sources to what the population of Athens thought of him and voted against him because of his questioning of the gods and of holiness. Socrates believed that it was this search was really important he believed that the journey toward the answers is where most of the learning will take place. Socrates also believed that philosophers looked upon death with good cheer and hope. This I find hard to believe because if this was true, the philosopher would not be able to love life, and without the love of life, there is no life to examine and learn about. Socrates saw his death as liberation from the shackles of life for his last wish was for Crito to sacrifice a rooster to Asclepius. This god was normally given sacrifices to free the sickly from the grips of a virus or illness. Before his execution Socrates made a powerful statement which touched many of the men in the court room part of this statement was; “What would not a man give if he might converse with Orpheus and Musaeus and Hesiod and H
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