For the second year running, one our trustees, Margot Camp, led a ‘Plato Retreat’ in the beautiful setting of Waterperry House and Gardens, Oxfordshire. A contingent from the UK was joined by guests from Poland, the Netherlands and Brazil. Some were seasoned readers of Plato while others were reading a Platonic dialogue for the first time.
The subject of the retreat was The Apology. There was plenty time to read through and discuss the dialogue at leisure with additional time for personal reflection. We had a strong sense that the words Socrates spoke at his trial were meant for us today as much as for his fellow Athenians. Indeed, we were encouraged to ask ourselves the same questions that Socrates posed to the Athenians, such as: ‘And is this not the most disgraceful ignorance, thinking you know what you do not know?’; ‘Are you not ashamed that you care about piling up as much money, reputation and honour as you can, while giving no care or thought to wisdom and truth and how your soul may be as good as it can be?’ A rewarding if not a comfortable exercise!
There will be another Plato retreat at Waterperry next year on 9 – 12 June. All are welcome.
