Plato's Dialogues

I am guilty of possibly looking too deep into Plato's written works in an attempt to challenge multiple perceptions. Correct me if I am wrong, but could the overall theme of the majority of Plato's works be expressing the superficial and constricting elements of definitions? Every dialogue thus far has made me reconsider concepts such as justice and friendship as well as proven how difficult it is to do so.

I really enjoyed reading James Redfield's translation of Plato's dialogue, Meno. I found that Redfield was able to explain himself through a process that I can't seem to apply in class. However, he also brought up several points that I had not considered. For example, I understood Redfield's translation on page CL-iii-13 "...virtue, he [Socrates] says, is between the teachable and the unteachable because it is between knowledge and ignorance, because it is right opinion." Though on the following page Redfield claims that virtue is acquired by magic and I would like someone else's perspective on what he thinks magic is. Does that mean virtue may be an illusion?

I am intrigued by how beautiful Plato made Socrates. Plato did say that the Socrates in his dialogues was made out to be young and beautiful. Why does Plato create an opposite of his historically ugly and elderly mentor? I think that Plato understood societies shallow misconception of true beauty. Plato used a rhetoric that painted an ideal picture for his audience which captured their attention. This image gave Plato an opportunity to educate on some of Socrates most complex philosophical theories. The arguments throughout the dialogues thus far, both the good and the bad, have nevertheless given Socrates a God-like image. If only everyone could be as calm about drinking Hemlock as Socrates...

The dialogue of Phaedo, to me, is a masterpiece because of the way Plato utilized his characters. Plato states that he was not present during Socrates final hours which makes me wonder, why did he choose to speak on Socrates behalf? I presume that this dialogue is actually Plato's interpretation of Phaedo's recollection of the discussion between Socrates, Crito, Simmias, Cebes, and himself. Are the argument's used by the figure of Socrates formulated by Plato? I think Plato was trying to find a way to cope with Socrates decision to drink the  Hemlock without hesitation. Maybe Plato theorized that Socrates was more than just a body and that his soul must live on. The Socrates portrayed in Phaedo claimed that only a true philosopher, one who is courageous and brave, will embrace death because only the body will die. Dying is the opposite of living thus living is the opposite of dying and you cannot have one without the other. Is is possible for someone to fully accept that i...