Xanthippe

Tales of the Socratic Future : VII

Xanthippe was the wife of Socrates. Apparently an illustrious son of Athens is no better guarantee that a man would find love and adoration in his wife. Shakespeare referred to her in comparison to his character in the ' Taming of the Shrew.' She has since been named after asteroid 156.

Possibly in reference to his own marriage Socrates said, ' If you get a good wife you'll be happy; If you get a bad one you'll be a philosopher.' But what is a bad one?

At the teen level we enter into a relationship that is based on an equal regard where love arises as a ' common cognizance.' We love that about the other that we love best in ourselves. And it is only good for as long as we do so, in an atmosphere of transparency and relation to each others interest.

In the adult experience, the man grows into a picture of stability that he engages as a social instrument in his circle. However, the wife continues relating to him at the individual level in an experience of free association with his intimations, instincts and premonitions. Only the fear of death keeps them apart at an isolated point in their relations. However, the many defenses they engage against death keeps them apart even more.

She is the spontaneous paint brush on his landscape of the world. He strives to relate to it and to see himself as a part of that landscape, realizing that in her own unmindful way, she is the repository of all his hopes, dreams and achievement. In turn he is her rock on which she founds her will and dreams. They do that for one another. Its the story of love between man and woman and it has changed very little over the ages.

So Socrates became a philosopher and a notable one at that. And we end our series on the Socratic future with our thanks to her. We needed that.