Although the majority of Phaedo focuses on Socrates’s philosophical ideas rather than his coming death, the fact that he will soon be forced to drink poison hemlock hangs over the entire dialogue, and the poison itself comes becomes a symbol of the fact that he has given up his life in order to uphold his values. Even though he’s about to die, Socrates sees no reason to “resent” or fear death, telling Crito to fetch the poison despite Crito’s reminder that he doesn’t need to drink it until sundown. In keeping with his willingness to die for his beliefs, Socrates also uses the poison to pour a “libation” to the gods, an act that symbolizes his unswerving piety and strong philosophical convictions—both of which remain uninfluenced by the (very immediate) prospect of death.
The Poison Symbol Timeline in Phaedo
