To question what no man has ever questioned before, this is a creed we apparently impose on Socrates as we look back on his life. The philosopher Socrates is a commonly known curious character, and is known primarily because of his trial in 399 BCE (2) But was Socrates really all we know him to be today? Or the lines between the real Socrates and the Socrates of Aristophanes, Plato and Xenophon have been so blurred that we don't know who the real man is. When you initially learn about Socrates through Plato you get an honest view of the philosopher, whereas when you look at Socrates through the writings of Aristophanes you find him to be a crude provider of children. Regardless of the point of view one takes on the Socratic question – who is the most accurate point of view for Socrates, if there is one or all authors simply use him as a mouthpiece for their own opinions (1) – it is easy to see why Socrates was the hero of intellectuals around the world even before his execution. The life and philosophy of a philosopher cannot be separated from each other, they are intertwined and can be better understood if you understand both halves of the equation. Socrates was born to Sophroniscus and Phenarete in 469 BC, grew up in Athens and was given a university degree. elementary education. Around 450 BC he was trained in the military arts which he eventually managed to put into practice between the years 431 and 424 in battles against Sparta. Thereafter most of Socrates' life was devoted to observing the world around him and he notably did not see himself as a teacher, but instead saw himself as someone who helps others reach an enlightened understanding of their lives. He didn't believe in teaching in the conventional sense of the word, which was simply... middle of paper...der, Douglas. "The Trial of Socrates." UMKC School of Law. Network. 02 December 2009. .Discusses the trial of Socrates. Reliable as it contains cross-referenced information with other sources. Significant in the discussion of Accusors and Legitimate as it comes from a site designed for a Law School.4. Rowe, Christopher. “The Uses and Disadvantages of Socrates.” Durham University. Network. 02 December 2009. Discusses the importance of Socrates and his methods. Abstract of the university professor's lecture, so yes, it is legitimate and contains reliable information. Significance, helps question what is important in Socrates.5. Plato. Apologies. Clearly important, clearly legitimate, and if it wasn't reliable I wouldn't have to write an article about Socrates.