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When Plato died he bequeathed to Greek culture and the world a twofold gift, his Academy and his writings. In the same manner as the property of the land on which it was founded was the material foundation upon which the existence of the Academy rested, the respect for Plato's personality was a shield to protect its ideological cohesion in spite of all the changes which took place in its teaching. The cult of Plato as a person was in the Academy added to that of Apollo, the Muses and Eros. On the seventh day of the month of Thargelion, towards the end of our month of May, Plato's birthday was celebrated in the Academy. It was the holy day of the birth of the god Apollo and there is no doubt that the fixing of Plato's birthday on this festive day is connected with the legend on the Apollonian origin of the adored philosopher.¹ Plato's statue served as a symbol of his continued presence in the Academy. It was the work of the sculptor Silanion and was dedicated to the Muses in the Academy by the Persian Mithridates, the son of Orontobates.² Not far from the Academy was Plato's grave.³

DOI: 10.1007/978-94-009-9704-2_1

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