Is it safe to reinterpret Socrates without the distortion of Plato?

Question

Plato put his own spin on Socrates, so can we "update" what he did as not debate, but a humble search? A search for the truth btwn speaker and listener having give and take, NOT AS Plato wrote as a search of a winner and loser - debate, argument,
dialectic. Aristophanes, in "Clouds" adds to the picture of Socrates with contempt and ridicule, and today most recall Plato's version of a dramatic suicide rather than the betrayal of the selfish Senators. Yes, this is reinterpretation. You like it?

Answer 1

Look also to Xenophon for another view of Socrates.

If Andrew Lloyd Weber can reinterpret Jesus, certain Socrates is open for re-interpretaions. However, in the Athenian Democracy of Socrates' time, there were no senators, but there were free men who were members of the assembly, and they were called upon to perform administrative functions like Judges and Jurors.

Answer 2

I should not take Aristophanes seriously in order to reinterpret Socrates.
Aristophanes was a satyrical writer and liked to "play" with whatever he disliked.
I should taken for granted the lines of Plato, who was, is and will always remain the most precise and right interpetetion of Socrates life and way of thinking.

Answer 3

Yes. if at first you understand the meaning of the phrase " Know thy self" - not the changing person from child to brother or sister, the student to the employed and then to the father or mother - this is not "thy self".
It is not a question of speaker and listener or teacher and student but someone who points and you see for youself.

Answer 4

I prefer Silly Putty to Plato.

Answer 5

yes, put whatever distortions on it that please you. so long as the facts match the motives are yours to supply. This approach is totally consistent with the Greek ideas about history (the story being the most important part) and the philosophic ideals of truth and meaning

Answer 6

ya lost me, somewhere between debate and humble search, have fun.