239Appendix: Dramatic Dates of Plato’s Dialogues
Dialogues with Dramatic Dates in Socrates’ Lifetime (470/469– 399 B.C.E.)
Parmenides (Socrates very young) 450– 445
Alcibiades I (Alcibiades not yet twenty) 433
Charmides (Socrates returns from Potidea) 432
Protagoras
Republic (Thracian goddess unveiled) 430
Laches (Delium retreat) 424
Symposium (Agathon’s victory) 416
Ion (Ephesus’ revolt) 412
Gorgias (Socrates’ council service) later than 406
Euthydemus (Alcibiades dead) later than 404
Meno (winter 402) 402
Theaetetus (Socrates says he must go to King 399
Archon’s offi ce)
Sophist (the day after Theatetus) 399
Statesman (same day as Sophist) 399
Euthyphro (Socrates on way to King Archon) 399
Apology 399
Crito (Socrates in jail) 399
Phaedo (Socrates’ execution) 399
Dialogues That Give No Indication of Dramatic Date
Lysis
Cratylus
Phaedrus
Laws
Hippias Major
Hippias Minor
Timaeus
Philebus
Primary source: Diskin Clay’s Platonic Questions: Dialogues with the Silent
Philosopher