This is the summary of a story named 'Phaedo' written by Plato which is about the time during the death of their beloved friend and mentor Socrates.

1. Summary of Phaedo
By - Jaya Silwal

2. Main Characters
➢Socrates
➢Phaedo - The narrator (One of the Socrates’ student)
➢Echecrates (One of the Socrates’ student)
➢Crito (One of the Socrates’ student)
➢Xanthippe - Socrates’ wife
➢Prison Officer

3. Story setting:
First part- Phlius
Remaining part - Athens
Main Content - Revolves around the hours prior to the execution of Socrates

4. Were you there with Socrates yourself, when he was
executed? -Echecrates
Conversation between Phaedo and Echecrates
- How the trial went?
- Why the trial was delayed?
- Socrates’ attitude towards his execution. And everyone’s reaction mixed
with both pain and pleasure.
- Who were present there?
- What were their activities till the time of Socrates’ execution?
➢Xanthippe “ Oh, this is the last time that you and your friends will be able to
talk together!”

5. How shall we bury you? -Crito
- Cito asks Socrates how he’ll like to be buried for which he replies by saying
he might just slip through his fingers.
- It wouldn't be Socrates but only his body.
- After he takes poison he’ll slip to heavenly happiness.
- “Misstatements are not merely jarring in their immediate context; they also
have a bad effect on soul.”

6. I shall not have to find fault with you. -Prison Officer
- The noblest, the gentlest and bravest men of all.
- Bids goodbye with teary eyes.
- Socrates discusses about Prison Officer’s cheerfulness and kindness.
- Then asks Crito to prepare the poison.

7. No need to hurry. -Crito
- Sun is still up so Socrates doesn’t have to drink the poison yet, he can drink
it late at night.
- Socrates replies by saying that will make him ridiculous in his own mind,
clunging and hugging life will only make the decision difficult.

8. We ought to offer a cock to Asclepius. - Socrates
- Socrate drinks the poison cheerfully.
- Everyone present cried for their own calamity in losing a friend.
- Socrates replies seeing everyone break down that one should make one’s
end in tranquil frame of mind.
- Last words of Socrates “ Crito, we ought to offer a cock to Asclepius. See to
it, and don’t forget.”

9. Such, Echecrates, was the end of our comrade. -Plato
Such, Echecrates, was the end of our comrade, who was, we may fairly say, of all
those whom we known in our time,
- The bravest
- The wisest and
- The upright man