unfortunate creatures. /…What they say of us is that we have peaceful time/ Living at home, while they do the fighting in the war. / How wrong they are! I would very much rather stand/ Three times in front of the battle than bear one child.” Euripides showed in his plays showed that reason only gives “feeble resistance against these compelling, relentless, and consuming passions. The forces that destroy erupt from the volcanic nature of human beings.” In one of his other more known works, The Trojan Women, he continued to concentrate on the feelings of women, this time with regards to war. He emphasized how the women felt having to send their husbands and children off to battle. War was described “as agony and not glory,” while the warrior was “brutish and not noble.” He went deep into the human soul to complete his writings.The importance of reason was most convincingly portrayed in the life of Socrates, particularly in his trial, as recounted by Plato in The Apology. The Oracle at Delphi told Socrates that he was the wisest person. He felt that the Oracle must be incorrect, because he knew nothing. Therefore he sought to find someone wiser than himself. The talked to others that were considered wise, but had no avail in finding anyone wiser. His method of education was the dialogue which consisted of a person talking with others, and asking questions. Through this process, Socrates thought, one would know him. He said that he would rather die than give up philosophy saying: As long as I have breath and power I will cease from philosophy and exhorting you and setting forth the truth to any of you whom I meet, saying as I am wont, “My excellent friend, are you a citizen of Athens, a city very great and very famous for wisdom and power of mind: are you not ashamed of caring so much for the making of money, and for reputation and honor? Will you not spend thought or ca...
