But in his youth, during the height of the Golden Age of Greece, Socrates had performed with great bravery at three great battles against the ever looming armies and navies of Persia. As Socrates aged, he limped and was infirm; no longer fit for military defense of Athens.

A respected, wise old warrior, he was allowed to walk and talk to groups of people at the markets. And as always all would stop and talk to an old man and listen to his times of war with Persia when they held them off at the pass, which was always the case when Athenians could rejoice.

To others and youth this was ancient history, but what drew the brightest students and scholars to the feet of this quiet and thoughtful humble old warrior to hear of his wise series of questions and answers that he brought you to conclude about you own questions which Socrates would usually turn back on the student.

Socrates would encourage the students to search his own deeper meaning about a sometimes witty but shallow question. They could now allow how this must reflect their deep inner thoughts, worries, needs or actions.

His purity of mind allowed thoughts of good and ways to improve the human condition and how we all must search our own soul and moral code before causing another a harm. This is often heard from an old warrior, but none spoke with such clarity around the essence of a question. What was the question asking, really?

At first it was as the old warriors around the village water hole in their older days, who would reflect on what had gone wrong and how they could have made right and what had gone wrong in their battles, defeats, retreats and occasional victories. What had it all been for, would be asked of Socrates.

Most old warriors, even today, would defend what ever decisions, however apparently harmful, the present administration was taking. This little civilization on a hill was surrounded by ignorance or power, and all citizens of Greece needed to be on their alert.

As at Gettysburg or the Battle of Britain,some times the fate of democracy could seem to hang by threads, being defended by those brave few. Socrates made the leaders of ancient Greece jealous and he was by law required to die. His choice was hemlock rather than strangulation, the sword, or by being hanged.

This happened quickly with Aristotle, Plato and a few students with him to the end, which Aristotle later described to a young Alexander, within years of birth.

But with the disciples and wise men from the east, even 350 years before Christ, men believed in a nirvana or heaven of bliss for those who lived pure lives.