Simmias of Thebes

Simmias of Thebes
Σιμμίας Θηβαῖος
Bornc. 430s BCE[1]
Thebes
SchoolSocratic

Simmias of Thebes (Ancient Greek: Σιμμίας Θηβαῖος; fl. 5th–4th century BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, disciple of Socrates, and a friend of Cebes. In his Memorabilia, Xenophon includes him in the inner circle of Socrates' followers.[2] He appears in Plato's Phaedo as a main discussion partner of Socrates alongside Cebes, as well as Crito,[3] Phaedrus,[4] and Epistle XIII.[5]

In addition to the references in Plato and Xenophon, Diogenes Laërtius mentions Simmias as the author of 23 brief dialogues, now lost, including On Philosophy and On Music.[6] Simmias appears as a character in Plutarch's De Genio Socratis section of the Moralia.[7] A pseudepigraphic letter from Xenophon to Simmias and Cebes is included in the Cynic epistles attributed to Socrates' followers.[1] Two short works are also attributed to him in the Greek Anthology, a couplet on Sophocles and an epitaph on Plato.[1]

  1. ^ a b c Nails 2002.
  2. ^ Xenophon, Memorabilia, 1.2.48, 3.11.17,
  3. ^ Plato, Crito, 45b
  4. ^ Plato, Phaedrus, 242b
  5. ^ Plato, Epistle XIII, 363a
  6. ^ Diogenes Laërtius, ii. 124
  7. ^ Plutarch, Moralia 7.46, 575-598