Ariston of Collytus ( grc-gre,

Ἀρίστων Ariston (from el, ) may refer to: People Ancient Greece * Ariston of Sparta (6th century BC), Eurypontid King of Sparta * Ariston of Athens (died circa 424 BC), father of Plato * Ariston of Byzantium (), tyrant of the city of Byzantium * Aris ...

; died c. 424 BC), was the father of the Greek philosopher Plato (originally named Aristocles). Legend holds that he was descended from

Codrus Codrus (; ; Greek: , ''Kódros'') was the last of the semi-mythical Kings of Athens (r. ca 1089– 1068 BC). He was an ancient exemplar of patriotism and self-sacrifice. He was succeeded by his son Medon, who it is claimed ruled not as king but ...

, the ancient king of Athens. He supposedly could trace his ancestry to the God of the sea Poseidon through Codrus and

Melanthus In Greek mythology, Melanthus ( grc, Μέλανθος) was a king of Messenia and son of Andropompus and Henioche. Mythology Melanthus was among the descendants of Neleus (the Neleidae) expelled from Messenia, by the descendants of Heracles, ...

.Diogenes Laertius Plato 1

Diogenes Laërtius Diogenes Laërtius ( ; grc-gre, Διογένης Λαέρτιος, ; ) was a biographer of the Greek philosophers. Nothing is definitively known about his life, but his surviving ''Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers'' is a principal sourc ...

on the authority of Speusippus and others, relates a story that "Ariston made violent love to

Perictione Perictione ( grc-gre, Περικτιόνη ''Periktiónē''; fl. 5th century BC) was the mother of the Greek philosopher Plato. She was a descendant of Solon, the Athenian lawgiver. Her illustrious family goes back to Dropides, archon of the year ...

, then in her bloom, and failed to win her; and that, when he ceased to offer violence,

Apollo Apollo, grc, Ἀπόλλωνος, Apóllōnos, label=genitive , ; , grc-dor, Ἀπέλλων, Apéllōn, ; grc, Ἀπείλων, Apeílōn, label=Arcadocypriot Greek, ; grc-aeo, Ἄπλουν, Áploun, la, Apollō, la, Apollinis, label= ...

appeared to him in a dream, whereupon he left her unmolested until her child was born". Ariston died when Plato was still a boy, and his mother Perictione remarried

Pyrilampes Pyrilampes ( grc-gre, Πυριλάμπης) was an ancient Athenian politician and stepfather of the philosopher Plato. His dates of birth and death are unknown, but Debra Nails estimates he must have been born after 480 BC and died before 413 BC. ...

, a friend of the Athenian politician

Pericles Pericles (; grc-gre, Περικλῆς; c. 495 – 429 BC) was a Greek politician and general during the Golden Age of Athens. He was prominent and influential in Athenian politics, particularly between the Greco-Persian Wars and the Pelop ...

.Plato, ''The Republic'', Trans. G.M.A. Grube, Cambridge: Hackett, 1992. viii Ariston had three other children by Perictione:

Glaucon Glaucon (; el, Γλαύκων; c. 445 BC – 4th century BC), son of Ariston, was an ancient Athenian and Plato's older brother. He is primarily known as a major conversant with Socrates in the '' Republic''. He is also referenced briefly i ...

, Adeimantus, and

Potone Potone (; grc-gre, Πωτώνη, Pōtṓnē; born before 427 BC) daughter of Ariston and Perictione, was Plato's older sister. Her mother was Perictione and she was born in Collytus Collytus or Kollytos ( grc, Κολλυτός) was a deme of anc ...

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ariston 5th-century BC Athenians Family of Plato 424 BC deaths Year of birth unknown Demigods