[Born at Athens, B.C. 430. Died B.C. 347. Aged 83.]
The most illustrious amongst the disciples of Socrates. The doctrines of
the great teacher have descended to us chiefly through the writings of
this eloquent hearer. Whence, a singular and inextricable conflict. The
sturdy, keen, practical plain sense of the master, and the soaring,
brilliant imagination, and subtly-dividing wit of the pupil, have come
down to us mingled ever in the same composition. In these extraordinary
dialogues, which display the spoken Greek of Athens in its utmost
purity, beauty, and melody, how much is Plato’s?--how much is of
Socrates? The two busts may go as far as any other authorities, in
affording the almost discretionary reply. The lip on which, whilst in
the cradle, tradition says that the bee settled--signifying the
sweetness of the speech which should flow from it--is before us, in part
of the answer. Plato was, in his earlier life, a poet, but gave his
poetical compositions, amongst which are mentioned an epic poem and a
tragedy, to the flames. He excelled in bodily exercises, being
distinguished as a wrestler. He travelled much in the quest of
knowledge. Like his illustrious preceptor, he taught that wisdom, under
which we must comprise goodness, is the attribute of the Godhead,--that
philosophy is an intellectual necessity, and, as the fountain of virtue,
which it thus includes, the most estimable of all the goods within the
reach of man. Abstruse and sublime, seeking to rest science and morals
on an immutable basis, Plato trains the intellect more than he teaches.
In reading his writings, we enter the Socratic school as hearers, as
disputants. The Socrates, who constantly leads the discussion, is rather
the presiding Spirit, than the Man. We come out, whatsoever else,
worshipping students of the True, of the Fair, of the Good.
[From the very beautiful little bust in the Florence Gallery. He wears
the “strophium” as a mark of his great honours. This bust possesses a
great claim to authenticity, on account of the name being deeply cut
upon it in Greek letters of the antique form. There is a similar bust
in the Naples Museum, of the same size, and inscribed with the name of
Plato.]