The Preparation of Plato
Plato's meeting with Socrates had been a turning point in his life.
He had been brought up in comfort, and perhaps in wealth;
he was a handsome and vigorous youth—called Plato, it is said, because of the breadth of his shoulders;
he had excelled as a soldier, and had twice won prizes at the Isthmian games.
Philosophers are not apt to develop out of such an adolescence.
But Plato's subtle soul had found a new joy in the "dialectic" game of Socrates;
it was a delight to behold the master deflating dogmas and puncturing presumptions with the sharp point of his questions;
Plato entered into this sport as he had in a coarser kind of wrestling;
and under the guidance of the old "gad-fly" (as Socrates called himself) he passed from mere debate to careful analysis and fruitful discussion.
[ 00’53” ] Smile at the looming of death.
[ 01’42” ] a turning point (转折点)
[ 02’17” ] be brought up in comfort (在养尊处优的环境中长大)
[ 02’46” ] vigorous (有活力的)
[ 03’59” ] excel (出色,优于)
[ 04’24” ] Isthmian games (每两年一次在科林斯地峡举办仅次于奥林匹克的地峡运动会,是为了祭献海神波塞冬所举办的。)
[ 05’18” ] develop out of (从……发展而来的)
[ 05’51” ] dialectic (词根是dialect,辩证的;辩证法的;辩证法)
[ 06’40” ] behold (看,但是比 see, look,watch 更严肃,庄重。)
[ 07’00” ] deflate (通货紧缩,使……泄气)
[ 07’37” ] puncture (刺穿;穿刺)
[ 07’44” ] acupuncture (针灸)
[ 07’49” ] punctuality (准时)
[ 08’39” ] He's Just Not That Into You (《他其实没那么喜欢你》)
[ 08’58” ] coarse (粗糙的;粗俗的;下等的)
[ 09’35” ] gad-fly (牛虻)
[ 12’01” ] pass from...to...and... (从……过度到……再到……)
[ 12’15” ] pass from mere English language learning to careful reading skills and the love of wisdom.