# Socrates — The Laughing Cavalier character guide

> Socrates in The Laughing Cavalier by Baroness Orczy.

**Role:** supporting

**Also known as:** Already Socrates, lean Socrates

**First appearance:** 0009-vii-three-philosophers-and-their-friends

## Who they are

A lean, sharp-tongued philosopher who trails Diogenes through Haarlem's taverns, trading wit for wine and lending his friend's reckless schemes a veneer of respectability.

## In the story

### [I: New Year’s Eve](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/i-new-year-s-eve)

One of the philosophers; laconic and observant, he identifies the disturbance as 'a row.'

### [II: The Fracas by the Postern Gate](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/ii-the-fracas-by-the-postern-gate)

One of Diogenes' companions; sustains a head wound from a stone during the fracas.

### [III: An Interlude](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/iii-an-interlude)

Perched on Diogenes' shoulders, wounded and swaying, described as looking like a plucked crow.

### [Three Philosophers and Their Friends](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/vii-three-philosophers-and-their-friends)

Mentioned as one of Diogenes' boon companions, part of the group that leaves the taproom with much noise and clatter.

### [VIII: The Lodgings Which Were Paid For](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/viii-the-lodgings-which-were-paid-for)

Companion to Diogenes and Pythagoras, comments on the lack of beds and the cold night.

### [XIII: The Spanish Wench](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xiii-the-spanish-wench)

Tasked with procuring horses and a sleigh for the night journey.

### [XVI: Leyden](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xvi-leyden)

Helps carry Maria out of the sledge.

### [The Start](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xviii-the-start)

Asleep in the taproom with Pythagoras; part of the group ordered to Houdekerk.

### [Thence to Rotterdam](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xxvii-thence-to-rotterdam)

Rides with Diogenes and Pythagoras, helping to escort the sledge and attend to Gilda's needs.

### [Check Again](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xxix-check-again)

One of Diogenes' companions, instructed to guard Gilda and stay at the hostel with Pythagoras.

### [A Run Through the Night](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xxxii-a-run-through-the-night)

Socrates is one of the escorts, seen by Gilda as the thin man with abnormally long legs.

### [XXXVI: Brother Philosophers](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xxxvi-brother-philosophers)

One of Diogenes' brother philosophers, who along with Pythagoras tracks Diogenes to the windmill and speaks with him.

### [XLIV: Blake of Blakeney](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/chapters/xliv-blake-of-blakeney)

Mentioned by Diogenes as one of his friends who would receive twenty thousand guilders.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/characters/socrates
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/the_laughing_cavalier_se/characters