Shortly before dying, Socrates spoke his last words to Crito saying, "Crito, we owe a cock to Asclepius. Please, don't forget to pay the debt."
Here is one relevant link.
The last words of Socrates (according to Plato)
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Last night I had a dream and Socrates was in it. He said that when he traveled abroad he spoke the truth, and as an example he would say that nobody needs a 700lb yellow pillow. He said this in the vicinity of a bear which turned into a river otter as it was climbing rocks.
The quote is from the dialogue “Phaedo” by the way.
For those who don’t know, Asclepius was the god of healing.
One interpretation is that Socrates was expressing thanks for his easy release from life. That interpretation may not be right of course, but Asclepius wasn’t just some guy down the road he happened to owe a chicken to.
I had the same dream!
I maintain that most peoples last words are really “aarg-bblu-mmm-ahhh” or something very like that
If that line came from The Godfather it probably takes on an entirely different innurendo.
My own schoolboy philology is dimming, but my edition of the Phaedo suggested two possibilites: 1) as above, the God of healing, but 2) It could just as well be a real – pecuniary – debt.
Consider the dramatic context: as his disciples weep around him, Socrates concludes a dramatic preoration, then glibly turns to Crito, with whom he has argued, and admonishes him not to leave leave the debt unpaid. Socrates had no fear when he drank the hemlock because he believed he would, via his soul, survive his death.
Nevertheless, one might understandably be apprehensive, but Plato soldifies the master’s reputation by showing his last earthly moment as one of integrity.
What blackadder said, with the further irony that Socrates is being condemned to death for impiety, yet his last words are a reminder to sacrifice to one of the gods.
This is funny! Hey, you should pay the cock! All debts should be settled! This may also mean something in a sexual aspect. LOL Nice post by the way.
Was there a cockblock?
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