"CONSCIOUSNESS had reached this point in Greece,
when in Athens, the great forum of Socrates, in
whom subjectivity of thought was brought to
consciousness in a more definite and more thorough
manner, now appeared. But Socrates did not grow like a
mushroom out of the earth, for he extends in continuity with
his time, and this is not only a most important figure in the
history of philosophy—but perhaps also a world famed
personage." Hegel.
"When Columbus set sail across the untraversed western
sea, his purpose was to reach by a new path, a portion of the
old, known world, and he lived and died in the belief that
he had done so. He never knew that he had discovered a
new world. So it was with Socrates. When he launched his
spiritual bark upon the pathless ocean of reflected thought,
his object was to discover a new way to the old world of little
commonwealths and narrow interests, and he probably died
thinking he had succeeded. He did not dream that he had
discovered a new world—the world of humanity and universal
interests. But so it was; and tho mankind are still very
far from having made themselves at home in that world,
and from having availed themselves of its boundless spiritual
treasures, it can never be withdrawn from their sight, or,
the conquest of it cease to be the object of their highest
aspirations." Thomas Davidson.
