When personal wealth, real estate and other extreme possessions did not exist during ancient times, the last wishes of people during this period than the requests of today. In this article, you’ll learn what some of the most well known of ancient personalities (Plato and Virgil) wished for in their last moments.
The ancient Greeks turned towards the wisdom of three philosophers who were prominent in their time , Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato. It was Plato who is credited with laying down the start of Western ethics. He was known for speaking his mind regarding the topics of death and the soul.
When Plato died in 348 BC in Athens, he was 76 years old. There is debate as to how he spent his last moments on earth. Some historians say he died at a ‘marriage feast,’ while others believe he was writing a dialogue. Plato was buried in the Athenian Academy , an institute aimed at studying philosophy and conducting scientific research that he founded.
Plato was not a wealthy man when he died and possessed two farms outside of Athens at the time of his death. He left this real estate to his son Adimantes. He also willed his personal belongings to his son, which included one silver vase, silver household drinking cup, gold finger ring, and a gold pendant on a chain. He also left behind 300 drachmas (silver coins).
The son would also receive 300 more drachma (plus interest) for a loan that Plato had given a friend. When the Athenian jeweler was able to pay back the loan, Adimantes would receive his money. Plato also owned four slaves. Upon his death, he freed one named Diano, who was his favorite. The other three were passed down to his son.
It was Plato’s last wish that he would die without debt. At the end of his will, Plato made mention that he was never rich in money, but was happy to leave the world without having any creditors.
Works Written By Plato
The dialogues that Plato wrote were used to teach a range of subjects, including logic, rhetoric, mathematics, and philosophy. Some of his most infamous works include:
The Apology: Plato wrote his version of the speech that Socrates gave when he defended himself against charges of corrupting the young, and by not believing in the gods in whom the city believes, but in other daimonia that are novel.”
The Republic: Plato wrote a Socratic dialogue devoted to the nature of justice and the order and character of the just “city-state” and the just individual. The text discusses the meaning of justice and examines whether or not the just man is happier than the unjust man. Other thoughts featured in the Republic include the immortality of the soul, the role of poetry in society, as well as the role of the philosopher.
The Symposium: Plato’s Symposium focused on the purpose and nature of love, and the genesis. Love is explored through a series of speeches given by men attending a symposium (or drinking party). Each man is expected to deliver a speech in praise of Love (the goddess Eros). The setting for the symposium is the house of tragedian Agathon in Athens. Socrates delivers a speech in the text that states the highest purpose of love is to become a philosopher , a lover of wisdom.