Words of the Wise Trivia Quiz

Answer: Aristotle

Aristotle was born in Stagirus, Macedonia, in 384 BC, living to the age of 62 and dying of natural causes. A man of many talents and disciplines, Aristotle studied at Plato's Academy for nearly twenty years until Plato's death.

Answer: Plato

A student of Socrates, Plato lived from circa 427 BC until circa 347 BC, to a ripe old age of (around) 80 years. He accomplished much in his lifetime, but perhaps the establishment of the Academy in Athens was his most significant accomplishment. It was the first such center of higher learning in the Western world.

Answer: Socrates

What is known of Socrates is only what was recorded by his students, primarily in the writings of Plato, although Aristotle, Xenophon, and Aristophanes also made mention of Socrates and/or his teachings. As any educator can tell you, one remnant of Socrates' teachings is his method of using questions to teach and draw out knowledge and understanding (the Socratic Method).

He lived approximately 70 years, taking his own life in 399 BC.

Answer: Sophocles

Sophocles was born circa 497 BC and lived to the age of (around) 90, passing away (as one legend would have it) "from the strain of trying to recite a long sentence from his Antigone without pausing to take a breath." [quote from Wikipedia].

One of the innovations that Sophocles made to the world of the stage was the development of 'skenographia', or scenery-painting.

Answer: Epicurus

Epicurus was born in 341 BC and passed away in 270 BC at the age of 71. The school of philosophy that he founded (Epicureanism) was based on the idea that 'pleasure' is the greatest good, achieved through modest living and the knowledge of the workings of the world.

Answer: Plutarch

Plutarch lived from AD 46 to AD 120 and was known primarily for his publications "Parallel Lives" and "Moralia". "Parallel Lives" was an interesting work wherein Plutarch drew parallels between prominent Greeks and Romans. One example of this is his comparison of Alexander the Great with Julius Caesar. "Moralia" was a collection of essays and speeches that explored the customs and mores of the day.

Answer: Euripides

Euripides was born in 480 BC and lived to the age of 74, passing in 406 BC. Along with Sophocles and Aeschylus, Euripides was one of the greatest tragedian of the era. Like Sophocles, Euripides made innovations to writing for the stage that greatly affected the craft. One such innovation was the depiction of mythical heroes as normal people in exceptional circumstances.

This paved the way for the development of Comedy and even Romance plays.

Answer: Diogenes

Diogenes of Sinope was born circa 412 BC and died in 323 BC, living to the age of 89. Along with Antisthenes, he founded the the philosophy of Cynicism, which followed that the purpose of life was to live in virtue and in agreement with nature by rejecting the conventional desires of civilization (wealth, power, status, sex).

Answer: Thales

Thales of Miletus lived circa 624 to 526 BC and was one of the Seven Sages of Greece, along with Cleobulus of Lindos, Solon of Athens, Chilon of Sparta, Bias of Priene, Pittacus of Mytilene, and Periander of Corinth.

Thales was instrumental in the development of Western philosophy as being one of the first to attempt to explain the world around him without reference to the mythological.

Answer: Archimedes

Archimedes lived from circa 287 BC to circa 212 BC, making him around 75 years of age at the time of his death. One of the leading scientific minds of his time, Archimedes discovered many mathematical principles, and was credited with the invention of the screw pump and compound pulleys, in addition to some machines to aid in the defense of his city against invasion.

Archimedes is also credited with running through the streets naked proclaiming 'Eureka!' after discovering the concept of water displacement while in the bath.