But the Greek differed from the
Oriental, the barbarian, inasmuch as he felt himself no longer a
component part of nature, but realised his distinct individuality.
We find the first germs of the new creative principle of personality in
the Platonic figure of Socrates who, first of all, conceived the idea of
a higher spiritual love, blended it with the love of ideas and separated
it sharply from base desire. Though his conception was not yet personal
love in the true sense, it was nevertheless a spiritual divine love. The
Greek State could not tolerate him, and sentenced him to death. But this
same Socrates also said (in "Crito") that man was indebted to the State
for his existence. "Did not thy father, in obedience to the law, take
thy mother to wife and beget thee?" This sentiment was as antique as it
could well be, and the death of Socrates--as related by Plato--was the
most magnificent confirmation of the Greek idea that the individual,
even the wisest, was entirely subordinate to the community.
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