onysius the
younger became tyrant of Syracuse. Dionysius despatched an invitation
to Plato to attend his court and give him the benefit of his advice.
Here was an opportunity to experiment. Plato could train and educate a
{169} philosopher-king. He accepted the invitation. But the expedition
ended disastrously. Dionysius received him with enthusiasm, and
interested himself in the philosophical discourses of his teacher. But
he was young, impetuous, hot-headed, and without genuine philosophic
bent. His first interest gave place to weariness and irritation. Plato
left Syracuse a disappointed man; and returned to Athens.
Nevertheless, after the lapse of a few years, Dionysius again invited
him to Syracuse, and again he accepted the invitation. But the second
journey ended in disaster like the first, and Plato was even in danger
of his life, but was rescued by the intervention of the Pythagoreans.
He returned to Athens in his seventieth year, and lived till his death
in the seclusion of his school, never again attempting to intervene in
practical politics.

For more than another decade he dwelt and taught in Athens. His life
was serene, quiet, and happy. He died peacefully at the age of
eighty-two.

Plato's writings take the form of dialogues. In the majority of these,
the chief part is taken by Socrates, into whose mouth Plato puts the
exposition of his own philosophy. In a few, as for example the
"Parmenides," other speakers enunciate the Platonic teaching, but even
in these Socrates always plays an important _role_. Plato was not only
a philosopher, but a consummate literary artist. The dialogues are
genuinely dramatic, enlivened by incident, humour, and life-like
characterization. Not only is the portrait of Socrates drawn with
loving affection, but even the minor characters are flesh and blood.

A most important element of Plato's style is his use of myths. He does
not always explain his meaning in {170} the form of direct scientific
exposition. He frequently teaches by allegories, fables, and stories,
all of which may be included under the one general appellation of
Platonic myths. These are often of great literary beauty, but in spite
of this they involve grave disadvantages. Plato slips so easily from
scientific exposition into myth, that it is often no easy matter to
decide whether his statements are meant literally or allegorically.
Moreover, the myths usually signify a defect in his thought itself.
The fact i