Character guide

Socrates

major

Also known as Young Socrates, Socrates Mark, Socrates Nor, Socrates Oedipus, Socrates Madness, Socrates Such, Socrates Theaetetus, Socrates Here, Socrates Polus, Socrates O, Socrates O Hippias, Socrates The wise, Socrates Philebus, Socrates Eryxias Erasistratus Critias, Socrates Euthyphro, Socrates Poseidon, Socrates Lysimachus, Socrates Menexenus Socrates, Socrates Dear Crito, Socrates Beloved Pan

Central figure in most dialogues; drives philosophical inquiry through questioning.

Plato

major

Also known as the Materialists of Plato, the Protagoras of Plato, Plato Plato

Author and narrator; appears as a character in some dialogues.

Glaucon

supporting

Also known as 215 Glaucon, Glaucon impatiently

Brother of Plato and key interlocutor in the Republic.

Adeimantus

supporting

Brother of Plato and participant in the Republic.

Phaedrus

supporting

Also known as dear Phaedrus, sweet Phaedrus, Phaedrus Granted, Phaedrus Isocrates

Lover of rhetoric and Socrates' companion in the Phaedrus.

Callicles

supporting

Also known as Callicles That, most excellent Callicles, Callicles O Socrates

Brash Athenian who champions might-makes-right in Gorgias.

Protagoras

supporting

Also known as the old Protagoras, O Protagoras

Famous sophist who debates virtue with Socrates.

Gorgias

supporting

Also known as Compare Gorgias, the Gorgias

Renowned rhetorician from Leontini, featured in the Gorgias.

Thrasymachus

supporting

Sophist who argues that justice is the advantage of the stronger.

Crito

supporting

Also known as Dear Crito

Loyal friend of Socrates who offers to help him escape prison.

Phaedo

supporting

Narrator of the Phaedo and devoted follower of Socrates.

Theaetetus

supporting

Also known as the youthful Theaetetus

Young mathematician who defines knowledge in the Theaetetus.

Theodorus

supporting

Also known as Theodorus the geometrician, Theodorus the Samian, Theodorus Disciples

Cyrenean mathematician and teacher of Theaetetus.

Parmenides

supporting

Also known as The Eleatic Parmenides, the great Parmenides

Eleatic philosopher who instructs a young Socrates.

Timaeus

supporting

Also known as the Timaeus, Timaeus

Locrian philosopher who narrates the creation myth in Timaeus.

Critias

supporting

Also known as 297 Critias

Athenian politician and narrator of the story of Atlantis.

Alcibiades

supporting

Also known as noble Alcibiades, Alcibiades Good, Alcibiades True, Alcibiades Arithmetic, the fair Alcibiades

Charismatic Athenian general and former student of Socrates.

Aristophanes

supporting

Also known as Aristophanes Clouds

Comic playwright who gives a speech on love in the Symposium.

Agathon

supporting

Tragic poet and host of the Symposium.

Eryximachus

supporting

Also known as Eryximachus Love

Physician who speaks about love in the Symposium.

Pausanias

supporting

Lover of Agathon who gives a speech on love in the Symposium.

Meno

supporting

Also known as Meno O Socrates, Meno Socrates

Thessalian nobleman who questions Socrates about virtue.

Euthyphro

supporting

Religious expert who Socrates questions about piety.

Ion

supporting

Also known as the rhapsode Ion, Ion the rhapsode, Ion the Ephesian

Rhapsode who performs Homer and discusses inspiration.

Hippias

supporting

Also known as Hippias the Elean, sweet Hippias, Hippias True, Lesser Hippias

Polymathic sophist from Elis who debates with Socrates.

Euthydemus

supporting

Sophist who uses eristic arguments in the Euthydemus.

Dionysodorus

supporting

Sophist and brother of Euthydemus, skilled in verbal trickery.

Ctesippus

supporting

Also known as The sceptical Ctesippus, O Ctesippus

Young friend of Socrates who challenges the sophists.

Cleinias

supporting

Also known as Dear Cleinias, O Cleinias, Cleinias Everyone, Cleinias That, Cleinias Most, Cleinias Excellent, Cleinias of Cnosus, the Cretan Cleinias, sweet son of Cleinias and Dinomache

Young student in the Euthydemus and a main speaker in the Laws.

Cratylus

supporting

Also known as the real Cratylus

Heraclitean philosopher who argues names are natural.

Hermogenes

supporting

Brother of Callias who debates naming with Socrates.

Lysimachus

supporting

Also known as Socrates Lysimachus

Father of Aristides who seeks advice on education.

Melesias

supporting

Also known as Aristides Melesias

Father of Thucydides who joins Lysimachus in seeking advice.

Nicias

supporting

Also known as The more enlightened Nicias, Nicias Laches

Athenian general who discusses courage in the Laches.

Laches

supporting

Athenian general who defines courage in the Laches.

Charmides

supporting

Also known as the beautiful Charmides, the virtuous Charmides, Dialogues Charmides

Young Athenian known for beauty and temperance.

Critias

supporting

Uncle of Plato and participant in the Charmides and Protagoras.

Chaerephon

supporting

Loyal friend of Socrates who consulted the Delphic oracle.

Apollodorus

supporting

Also known as Apollodorus of Cyzicus

Devoted follower of Socrates who narrates the Symposium.

Simmias

supporting

Also known as Simmias the Theban, the Theban

Theban philosopher who debates the soul's immortality.

Cebes

supporting

Theban philosopher and companion of Simmias in the Phaedo.

Echecrates

supporting

Also known as Phlius Echecrates

Pythagorean philosopher who hears the account of Socrates' death.

Xenophon

minor

Also known as Xenophon Memorabilia

Historian and soldier who wrote about Socrates.

Aristotle

minor

Also known as Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics, Aristotle De coelo, Aristotle Politics, Aristotle Politics VII, Aristotle Ethics X

Philosopher frequently cited in the introductory material.

Homer

minor

Also known as Friend Homer, Homer of Tragedy, the divine Homer

Epic poet frequently quoted and discussed by Socrates.

Hesiod

minor

Also known as the noble Hesiod

Poet and contemporary of Homer, cited in dialogues.

Pindar

minor

Lyric poet whose works are referenced in the dialogues.

Anaxagoras

minor

Pre-Socratic philosopher whose ideas are discussed by Socrates.

Heracleitus

minor

Pre-Socratic philosopher known for the doctrine of flux.

Empedocles

minor

Pre-Socratic philosopher and poet cited in the dialogues.

Democritus

minor

Atomist philosopher mentioned in the introductory material.

Protagoras

supporting

Famous sophist who debates virtue with Socrates.

Prodicus

minor

Also known as Prodicus the Cean

Sophist known for precise linguistic distinctions.

Hippocrates

minor

Young Athenian who wishes to study with Protagoras.

Polus

supporting

Also known as the youthful Polus, noble Polus, Socrates Polus, Whereupon Polus

Young rhetorician who argues with Socrates in the Gorgias.

Cephalus

minor

Also known as the aged Cephalus

Wealthy elder who discusses justice in Republic Book I.

Polemarchus

minor

Also known as Polemarchus he

Son of Cephalus who inherits the discussion on justice.

Cleitophon

minor

Minor interlocutor who challenges Socrates in the Republic.

Thrasymachus

supporting

Sophist who argues that justice is the advantage of the stronger.

Glaucon

supporting

Brother of Plato and key interlocutor in the Republic.

Adeimantus

supporting

Brother of Plato and participant in the Republic.

Protarchus

supporting

Also known as Protarchus Socrates

Main interlocutor in the Philebus, defending pleasure.

Philebus

supporting

Also known as the Philebus, Socrates Philebus

Hedonist whose views are debated in the Philebus.

Athenian Stranger

major

Also known as Stranger, the Eleatic Stranger, Athenian Stranger, Stranger Excellent, Stranger Strange, Stranger Carding, Stranger Anyone, Stranger Reflect, Stranger Such a one, the Eleatic stranger, the philosophical stranger

Main speaker in the Laws and Sophist, possibly Socrates.

Megillus

supporting

Also known as Megillus O Athenian Stranger, O Megillus, Megillus Stranger, the Lacedaemonian Megillus, Megillus Heaven, Megillus Impossible, Megillus Good, Megillus Dear Cleinias

Spartan interlocutor in the Laws.

Cleinias

supporting

Also known as Cleinias of Cnosus, the Cretan Cleinias, Cleinias Excellent

Cretan interlocutor and main legislator in the Laws.

Euclid

minor

Also known as Euclides

Megarian philosopher who narrates the Theaetetus.

Terpsion

minor

Friend of Euclid who hears the Theaetetus narrative.

Diotima

supporting

Also known as Diotima of Mantineia

Priestess who teaches Socrates about love in the Symposium.

Aristodemus

minor

Follower of Socrates who attends the Symposium.

Menexenus

supporting

Also known as the more talkative Menexenus, O Menexenus, Menexenus Truly, Socrates O Menexenus

Young friend of Socrates featured in the Menexenus and Lysis.

Lysis

supporting

Also known as grandfather Lysis

Young boy who discusses friendship with Socrates.

Hippothales

minor

Also known as O Hippothales

Lover of Lysis who sets up the conversation.

Meletus

minor

Also known as Friend Meletus

Prosecutor of Socrates in the Apology.

Anytus

minor

Powerful Athenian who prosecutes Socrates.

Lycon

minor

One of Socrates' accusers in the Apology.

Xanthippe

minor

Socrates' wife, mentioned in the Phaedo.

Critobulus

minor

Son of Crito and friend of Socrates.

Simonides

minor

Also known as Simonides of Ceos, Simonides Socrates

Poet whose sayings are analyzed in the Protagoras.

Theages

minor

Young man who seeks to study with Socrates.

Eryxias

minor

Character in the spurious dialogue Eryxias.

Erasistratus

minor

Character in the spurious dialogue Eryxias.

Antiphon

minor

Also known as Antiphon of Cephisus, Antiphon the Rhamnusian

Brother of Plato who recounts the Parmenides.

Pythodorus

minor

Follower of Zeno who narrates the Parmenides.

Zeno

minor

Eleatic philosopher known for paradoxes, appears in Parmenides.

Young Socrates

supporting

Also known as Young Socrates True, Young Socrates Impossible, the younger Socrates

Younger version of Socrates in the Statesman and Parmenides.