"Socrates" Socrates was born in Athens, the son of Sophroniscus, a sculptor, and of Phaenarete, a midwife, he received the regular elementary education in literature, music, and gymnastics. Socrates followed the craft of his father; according to a former tradition, he executed a statue group of the three Graces, which stood at the entrance to the Acropolis until he 2d century ad. In the Peloponnesian war with Sparta he served as an infantryman with conspicuous bravery at the battles of potidaea in 432-430 bc, Delium in 424 bc, and amphipolis in 422 bc. Socrates believed superiority of argument over writing and therefore spent the greater part of his mature life in the marketplace and public res