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Simmias

A Theban philosopher who joins Socrates in the Phaedo to test whether the soul can survive death, pressing hard on the arguments he hears.

supporting

Also known as Simmias the Theban, the Theban

First appearance: Phaedo

As a supporting figure in Dialogues, Simmias is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.

Theban philosopher; raises objections to Socrates' arguments about the soul.
In the storyPhaedoOpen this moment free

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Simmias arrives at Socrates' cell with his friend Cebes, bringing Pythagorean interests and a willingness to argue rather than merely mourn. He offers the image of the soul as a harmony of the body, then worries that…

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See Simmias in Phaedo

Character Web

14 connections

A slice of how Simmias sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.

PHPhaedoGLGlauconECEchecratesPHPhaedrusARAristotleSISimmias

Relationship types

  • Other

Character groups

  • Philosophers and Interlocutors
  • Socrates' Inner Circle

+9 more in the full Character Web

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Narrative arc

Story tension across the book.

SetupEscalationClimax
  • Setup
  • Escalation
  • Breaking point

In this excerpt, the dramatic climax occurs when Erasistratus’s boastful praise of the Syracusan envoy’s immen…

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In the story

Simmias appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.

Chapter companion notes

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See Simmias in Phaedo