Socrates’ “Swan Song” in Plato’s Phaedo. Socrates' “Secret Doctrine” about Death and Eternity
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21865061 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Kazimierz Pawłowski (0000-0003-0474-3330, Cardinal Stefan Wyszynski University in Warsaw, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2021 |
| Volume | 15 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 595-610 |
| Publication date | 2021-01-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | ΣΧΟΛΗ Ancient Philosophy and the Classical Tradition (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1995-4328 • E-ISSN: 1995-4336 |
| Publisher | Novosibirsk State University (NSU) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.25205/1995-4328-2021-15-2-595-610 |
| OpenAlex | W3199922348 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 6 |
In the Phaedo Plato describes Socrates’ final moments, just before his death. The statements he then makes can be treated as his philosophical creed. Socrates compares his own words to a swan song sung by the creature right before its approaching death and reminds his listeners of the swans’ prophetic gift. It can be said that in his final hour Socrates, just like Apollo’s swan, sings a song about the immortality of the human soul. Socrates refers to the Orphic “secret doctrine” (although he does not mention their name directly), revealing his thoughts on his own fate after death
Art · Creed · Doctrine · Epistemology · Eternity · Immortality · Literature · SOCRATES · Soul · Theology · Classical Philosophy and Thought · Philosophy
| Highly cited | No |
|---|