Page 61 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

8. It shows that Plato and Aristotle (who had been credited with the authorship of this teaching)
derived their doctrines or portions of them from the Egyptians. (Rosicrucian Digest, May 1952,
p. 175).

CHAPTER VI: The Athenian Philosophers

1. Socrates: (i) His Life (ii) Doctrines (iii) Summary of Conclusions

(I) Life of Socrates

(a) Date and place of birth

Socrates was born in Athens, in the year 469 B.C. He was the son of Sophroniscus, a sculptor,
and Phaenarete, a midwife. Very little is known about his early years; but we are told that he was
brought up in the profession of his father, and that he called himself not only a pupil of Prodicus
and Aspasia, (which statement suggests that he might have learnt from them, music, geometry
and gymnastics): but also a self taught philosopher, according to Xenophon in the Symposium.
Up to the age of 40, his life appears to be a complete blank: the first mention being made of him,
when he served as an ordinary soldier in the sieges of Potidaea and Delium between (432–429)
B.C. (Trial and Death of Socrates: F. J. Church: p. 15 of Introduction).

(b) His economic status and personality

Socrates did not accept fees for what he taught, and he became so poor, that his wife Xanthippe
became very dissatisfied with domestic conditions. He believed that he possessed (Daimonion
Ti) a divine something, i.e., a divine voice which advised and guided him in the great crises of
his life. (Turner's Hist. of Phil. p. 78–79; and Plato's Apology).

(c) His Condemnation and death in 399 B.C.

After the accustomed speeches of the accusers: (Miletus, Anytus and Lycon); Socrates followed
with his defense, at the conclusion of which, the judges voted 281 to 220, and Socrates was
condemned to death. As a parting word, he addressed himself both to those who voted against
him and those who voted in his favor. In the case of the former, he rebuked them by predicting
that evil would befall them, in consequence of their crime in condemning him.

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Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook