As is common knowledge, Plato made three trips to Sicily in the latter part of his life. The first of these trips came when Dionysus I was the ruler of Sicily. But the true Sicilian adventure began when Plato revisited the place when Dionysus II ascended the throne. Dionysus II’s uncle, Dion of Syracuse, persuaded Plato to come and make the youthful tyrant into a philosophical ruler. Although Plato wasn’t that inclined to accept the offer, he agreed to go. Precisely like the previous trip, this one too, didn’t go as planned. In a matter of months, Dionysus II banished his uncle form the town and put Plato under immediate house arrest. Eventually, Plato did manage to gain the tyrant’s consent to go back to Athens where he met the Dion again at his Academy.

The Dion and Plato lived in Athens for four years that followed before Dionysus II summoned for Plato again. This time, however, Plato refused to make the trip because pf his experience with the previous trips. Later, Dionysus sent a ship to Athens along with Plato’s friend, Archedemus who begged him to return to Syracuse. Plato agreed once again, just because of his friend’s request and the wish of the Dion.

As expected, Plato’s third trip to Syracuse wasn’t pleasant at all. Dionysus put the great Greek philosopher into house arrest one more and it was only because of his Tarentine friends, that Plato managed to evade captivity.

The Dion of Syracuse gathered an army and invaded Syracuse to gain his throne back and to avenge the insult his mentor faced. Plato returned to Athens and lived his last thirteen years peacefully, teaching philosophy at his Academy. If the words of Diogenes are to be believed, Plato was buried at his own Academy. His grave, however, is still to be found even after numerous archeological expeditions.    

Description: The exact date and place of Plato’s death is still a matter of speculation among historians and archeologists. Numerous archeological expeditions have been carried out to rediscover his grave, but with no success.