How many Roman military dates do you know?

[philsidnell]

Absolutely. Socrates was at Delium, and distinguished himself during the collapse of the Athenian line. As the story goes, while everyone around him was panicking and running, he retreated slowly and deliberately, facing the enemy. He was intimidating enough that he wsa able to collect a small group around him and bring them off the field intact - the enemy steered clear of them.

According to Plutarch, he was assisted in his retreat by Alcibiades, who was serving as a cavalryman and helped keep the pursuing Theban horsemen at bay. In so doing he was repaying the favour Socrates had done him when he lay wounded at the siege of Potidea, when Socrates had stood over him and 'defended him with the most conspicuous bravery and saved his life and his arms from the enemy'. (Plutarch, Alcibiades, 7) Who says philosophers are boring?


Phil Sidnell