A Dictionary of Greek and Roman biography and mythology. By various writers. Ed. by William Smith. Illustrated by numerous engravings on wood.

394 PLATO. PLATO.
275, Protag. pp. 329, 334, Gorg. p. 449, comp. iii. 21), and which finds some confirmation in exHipp. Min. p. 373), without doubt mainly in the pressions of the philosopher himself, and of the
form of lively dialogue; yet on the more difficult seventh letter, which though spurious is written
parts of his doctrinal system he probably also deli- with the most evident acquaintance with the matvered connected lectures; at least in the accounts ters treated of (p. 327, e; comp. Hermann, I. c.
of his lectures, noted down by Aristotle and other p. 66, &c.). If however Plato had suffered himself
disciples, on the Good (see below) there appears no to be deceived by such a hope, and if, as we ale
trace of the form of dialogue. Themistius also told, he withdrew himself from all participation ill
(Oract. xxi. p. 245, d) represents him as delivering the public affairs of Athens, from despair with rea lecture on the Good in the Peiraeeus before an gard to the destinies of his native city, noble even
audience which gradually dwindled away. The in her decline, he would indeed have exhibited a
more narrow circle of his disciples (the number of blind partiality for a theory which was too far
them, which can scarcely have remained uniform, removed from existing institutions, and have at the
is stated at 28) assembled themselves in his gar- same time displayed a want of statesmanlike feeldeo at common, simple meals (Athen. i. 7, xii. 69, ing and perception. He did not comply with the
x. 14, comp. Aelian, V. It. ii. 18, iii. 35; Diog. invitations of Cyrene and Megalopolis, which had
Laert. ii. 8), and it was probably to them alone been newly founded by the Arcadians and Thethat the inscription said to have been set up over bans, to arrange their constitution and laws (Plut.
the vestibule of the house, " let no one enter who ad pric. inerud. c. 1; Diog. Lai'rt. iii. 23; Aelian.
is unacquainted with geometry," had reference V. I. ii. 42). And in truth the vocation assigned
(Tzetzes, Chliliad. viii. 972). From this house him by God was more that of founding the science
came forth his nephew Speusippus, Xeinocrates of of politics by means of moral principles than of
Chalcedon, Aristotle, Heracleides Ponticus, Hes- practising it in the struggle with existing relations.
tiaeus of Perinthus, Philippus the Opuntian, and From the time when he opened the school in the
others, men from the most different parts of Greece. Academy (it was only during his second and third
To the wider circle of those who, without attaching journeys to Sicily that one of his more intimate
themselves to the more narrow community of the companions-Ileracleides Ponticus is named -
school, sought instruction and incitement from him, had to supply his place, Suid. s. v. Ieer-acleid.) we
distinguished men of the age, such as Chabrias, find him occupied solely in giving instruction and
Ipllicrates (Aristid. ii. p. 325), Timotheus (Athen. in the composition of his works. He is said to
x. 14, comp. Aelian. V. H. ii. 18. ~ 10; Plut. de have died while writing in the 81st, or according
Sanit. tuenda, p. 127. 6), Phocion, Hyperides, Ly- to others the 84th year of his age, in 01. 108. 1,
curgus, Isocrates (Diog. Laert. iii. 46), are said to B. c. 347 (Cic. de Senect. 5; Senec. Epist. lviii.;
have belonged. WMhether Demosthenes was of the Neanthes in Diog. Lalrt. iii. 3; Diog. La'ert. v. 9;
number is doubtful (Dem. Epist. v.; Cic. de Orat. Athen. v. p. 57, &c.). According to Hermippus he
i. 20, Brezt. 32, Crat. 5, (ce Oflic. i. 1, &c.; on the died at a marriage feast (Diog. Laert. iii. 3; Auother hand see Niebuhr, IKleine histoorische Schrifien, gust. de Civ. Dei, viii. 2). Thence probably arose
p. 482; Bake, Biblioth. Grit. Nova, v. i. 194, &c.). the title of the eloge of Speusippus -— hlxda wvos
Even women are said to have attached themselves to 7replseLrrvov. According to his last will his garden
him as his disciples (Diog. Lalrt. 1. c., comp. Olym- remained the property of the school (Diog. Laert.
plod.). Plato's occupation as an instructor was iii. 43), and passed, considerably increased bylater
twice interrupted by journeys undertaken to Sicily; additions, into the hands of the Neo-Platonists,
first when Dion, probably soon after the death of who kept as a festival his birth-day as well as that
the elder Dionysius (01. 103. 1, B. c. 368), deter- of Socrates (Damasc. ap. Phot. Cod. ccxlii.; Pornmined him to make the attempt to win theyounger phyr. ap. Euseb. Pr-aep. Evang. x. 3, p. 468t).
Dionysius to philosophy (Plat. Epist. vii. p. 327, Athenians and strangers honoured his memory by
iii. p. 316, c; Plut. Dion, c. 11, &c. 16, &c., monuments (Diog. La'rt. iii. 43; Phavorin. ib. 25).
Plsilosolh. esse cures Prineip. c. 4; Corn. Nep. x. 3; Yet he had no lack of enemies and enviers, and
Diog. Laert. iii. 21); the second time, a few years the attacks which were made upon him with scoffs
later (about B. C. 361), when the wish of his Pytha- and ridicule, partly by contemporary comic poets, as
gorean friends, and the invitation of Dionysius to Theopompus, Alexis, Cratinus the younger, and
reconcile the disputes which had broken out shortly others (Diog. Laeirt. iii. 26, &c.; Athen. xi. p. 509,
after Plato's departure between him and his step- ii. p. 59), partly by one-sided Socratics, as Antisuncle Dion, brought him back to Syracuse. His thenes, Diogenes, and the later Megarics (Diog.
efforts were both times unsuccessful, and he owed Lah'rt. iii. 35, vi. 7, 26, ii. 119; comp. Schleiermahis own safety to nothing but the earnest inter- cher's Platon, ii. 1, pp. 19, 183, 404, 406; ii. 2, pp.
cession of Archytas (Plat. Epist. vii. pp. 339, 345, 17, 20), found a loud echo among Epicureans,
iii. p. 318; Plut. Dion, c. 20; Diog. Laert. iii. 25). Stoics, certain Peripatetics, and later writers eager
Immediately after his return, Dion, whom he found for detraction. Thus even Antisthenes and Arisat the Olympic games (01. 105. 1, B. c. 360), pre- toxenus (Diog. La'rt. iii. 35; Athen. v. p. 424, xi.
pared for the contest, attacked Syracuse, and, sup- p. 507; Mahne, de Aristoxenzo, pp. 14, 73, 91)
ported by Speusippus and other friends of Plato, charged him with sensuality, avarice, and sycothough not by Plato himself, drove out the tyrant, phancy (Diog. Laert. iii. 29; Athen. xi. p. 509, c,
but was then himself assassinated; upon which xiii. p. 589, c); and others with vanity, ambition,
Dionysius again made himself master of the govern- and envy towards other Socratics (Athen. xi. p.
ment (Plat. Ep.; Plut. 11. cc.; Diog. Lalirt. iii. 25). 507, d; Diog. Lairt. vi. 3, 7, 24, 26, 34; comp. A.
That Plato cherished the hope of realising through Bbckh, Commentat. Acad. d.e.:iniultate qusae Platoui
the conversion of Dionysius his idea of a state in cur Xenophonlte intercessisse fts'tssr, Berol. 1811).
the rising city of Syracuse, was a belief pretty Others again accused him of having borrowed the
generally spread in antiquity (Plut. Philos. e. princ. form and substance of his doctrine fiom earlier
c. 4; Themfist. Orat. xvii. p. 215, b; Diog. La;rt. philosophers, as Aristippus, Antisthenes (Theo