Literal Comprehension:
Echecrates asked Phaedo to tell him about Socrates’s death, and Phaedo warmly welcomed the chance to remember his friend Socrates in the final hours of his life. He said that it was a surprising experience because although he was witnessing the death of a dear friend, he had no pity because the way in which Socrates bravely and happily faced it, unafraid of the unknown. Socrates drank the hemlock (poison) and his friends become quite disturbed. Socrates scolds them slightly and said that he had sent the woman away for fear of them reacting with tears. Phaedo said that he felt Ashamed for crying when Socrates was so dignified and the great philosopher and man took his last breath of air before dying. Those who knew him respected highly up to the very end of his life.

Interpretation:
This story might be trying to tell us that we ought to live our lives as long as we gain something from it and that we should not be attached to it if it has nothing to offer. It may also be interpreted to mean that the dying man teaches us how to live. In other words, we can leave the life to the full extent if we have no fear of death.

Critical Thinking:
When we read this story we find it very difficult to believe in what Socrates has done. Can a man drink poison so happily? Doesn’t he like to live? Is his principal more important than his life? But this story has defined soul as a traveler. The soul makes a journey from this world to another. If we accept this view, we will dead tolerable.

Assimilation:
The life of the Socrates has influenced me very much. One must have courage enough to declare once conviction and follow it. Socrates did what he had already said. Such a person is really great. If all of as hold the same attitude to life and to other things, we can make our life really valuable. We should live happily and die happily.