Plato

Plato
Species:	Human
Place of origin:	Earth
First mentioned in:	The Edge of Destruction
First appearance:	The Oracle of Delphi
Appearances:	COMIC: The Chains of Olympus
Main voice actor:	Scott Handcock

Plato was an ancient Greek writer and philosopher and was the student of another known philosopher, Socrates. (AUDIO: The Oracle of Delphi)

Biography

William Blake recalled that Plato had argued that the nature of reality was unknown and that one's perceptions were like shadows cast on the wall of a cave. (PROSE: The Pit)

The First Doctor recalled that he had met Plato and unsuccessfully tried to convince him that "you cannot build a lasting civilisation upon slavery, no matter how benign the masters," and deemed him a fool for disagreeing. (PROSE: Galaxy Four)

The Fourth Doctor and Leela met Plato at a gathering at Anaximander's home. (PROSE: The Brain of Socrates)

Bernice Summerfield met Plato and his teacher Socrates whilst time-travelling. (AUDIO: The Oracle of Delphi)

The Eleventh Doctor, Amy Pond and Rory Williams also met him and his mentor. (COMIC: The Chains of Olympus)

Works

The Library of St John the Beheaded contained some of his lost works. (PROSE: All-Consuming Fire)

Plato wrote The Republic, a piece of literature of which the First Doctor would acquire a first edition copy for his collection. (PROSE: The Edge of Destruction)

Plato was documented as the first to mention the island of Atlantis; an island which most humans believed was purely fictional. (PROSE: A History of Humankind)

Phaedo was a book by Plato which Jane owned and read in the original Greek. (PROSE: The Nine-Day Queen)

References

The Doctor's companion Vicki had never heard of either Plato or Socrates. (PROSE: Byzantium!)

St John Colchester read some Plato at his and Colin's wedding. (AUDIO: Future Pain)

Behind the scenes

• He was played by Philip McGough in the miniseries Gulliver's Travels.