Plato
- “Ah, my "Republic!" Thank you, Mario. This book is mine, but the knowledge belongs to all! Now I can teach my pupils just as Socrates taught me. ”
- —Plato, Mario's Time Machine
Plato was an ancient Greek philosopher who is credited with laying the foundations for Western philosophy, alongside his teacher, Socrates, and his student, Aristotle. One of his most famous writings is the Republic, a series of dialogues that feature Socrates discussing many topics of philosophical interest with others. He also founded the Academy in 387 BC, which spread his teachings for centuries after his death. In Mario's Time Machine, Mario meets Plato after he travels back in time to return a copy of the Republic to him after Bowser steals it from ancient Athens.
History
Mario's Time Machine
According to Mario's Time Machine, Plato was teaching at the Academy in 369 BC. The conversation between Mario and Plato is different between the SNES and PC released: in the SNES version, Mario attempts to ask Plato about the book in his possession, but Plato dismisses him and instead continues contemplating how to conduct one's life. In the PC version, Mario asks him if the book in his possession belongs to Plato, but Plato in turn asks Mario whether a book can be owned by its author before dismissing him and returning to his contemplation. To absolutely confirm that the book belongs to him, Mario must talk to some of Athens' citizens, which includes Aristotle. After Mario has explored enough, he can finally return to Plato and give back his book. Plato is excited to have his book back, but he also says that the knowledge within the book is meant for all. Plato encourages Mario to continue asking questions because every question is worth the time it takes to answer it.
Trivia
- Plato's in-game appearance in the PC release of Mario's Time Machine is based on The School of Athens, a painting by famed artist Raphael Sanzio that depicts notable figures of ancient Greece and features Plato and Aristotle at its center.
| Mario's Time Machine (PC) / Mario's Time Machine (SNES) / Mario's Time Machine (NES) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Super Mario characters | Bowser • Bowser's motherb • Donkey Kong Jr.c • Iggy Koopa • Larry Koopa • Lemmy Koopa • Ludwig von Koopa • Luigia • Mario • Roy Koopad • Yoshid | |
| Historical persons used as characters | Abraham Lincolna • Albert Einsteinc • Andrew Iversona • Anne Hathaway • Aristotle • Benjamin Franklin • Booker T. Washingtona • Catherine Dickensa • Charles Dickensa • Charles-Gaspard de la Rivea • Cleopatra • Constanze Mozarta • David Grenewetzkia • Deborah Reada • Don Lloyda • Duke of Alençon • Edmund Halley • Ferdinand Magellan • Francis Drake • Frederick Douglassa • Galileo Galileia • George Washington Carvera • Henry Forda • Ho Tia • Isaac Newton • Jeff Griffeatha • Joan of Arc • Johann Gutenberg • Joseph Haydna • Juan Sebastian Del Cano • Julius Caesar • Kublai Khan • Leonardo da Vinci • Louis Pasteura • Ludwig van Beethoven • Mahatma Gandhi • Marco Polo • Mary Todd Lincolna • Michael Faradaya • Michelangelo Buonarroti • Minamoto no Yoritomoc • Pierre Paul Emile Rouxa • Plato • Queen Elizabeth I • Raphael Sanzio • Richard Burbage • Royal Society • Sarah Barnarda • Thomas Edison • Thomas Jefferson • Ts'ai Luna • William Shakespeare • Wolfgang Amadeus Mozarta | |
| Enemies | Birdc • Bodyslam Koopac • Bullet Billa • Koopa • Mine • Pterodactyla • Sharka • Space Troopac • UFOc • Walking Turnipc | |
| Locations | Academy • Alexandria • Athens • Berlin Wallc • Bowser's castle • Bowser's Museum • Calcutta • Cambridge University • Cambuluc • Cretaceous Period • Eat at Joe'sa • Egyptc • Florence • Germanyc • Gettysburgc • Gobi Desert • Independence Hall • Japanc • Kitty Hawkc • London • Luoyanga • Mainz • Menlo Park • Moonc • Novatoa • Orleans • Paduaa • Paradise • Parisa • Philadelphia • Stratford-upon-Avon • Swan Inn • Trinidad • Tuskegeea • Vienna • Washington, D.C.a • White Housea | |
| Items and objects | Almanaca • Apple • Art Filea • Astrolabe • Backscratcher • Balla • Bambooa • Beret • Booka • Book of Marco Polo • Bosun's Pipe • Bowa • Bowser Statue • Bread • Bucket of Plaster • Bucklea • Bug Fixa • Bug Reporta • Bunnya • Calculus Book • Cat • Chisel • Chocolatea • Clotha • Compassa • Conversations on Chemistrya • Crank Handlea • Crown • Cup of Tea • Declaration of Independence • Dictionarya • Dinosaur Eggc • Drawing of Air Screw • Drawing of Ideal Man • Drumstick • F=MA • Fan • Feather • Filament • Firecrackera • Fireworks • Flag (India) • Flag (United States of America)c • Flaska • Floppy Diska • Flutea • Football • Globe • Grape • Handkerchief • Hand Mirror • Horse's Bit • Hourglass Blockc • Ice Creama • Incense • Inkwella • Information boxc • Key (Mainz) • Key (Philadelphia)a • Knife • Ladder • Laurel Wreath • Law Book • Lemonadea • Lens • Light Bulbc • Magneta • Measuring Stick • Metal Type • Metronome • Milka • Mona's Mirror • Mona Lisa • Moneya • Monocle • Mushroom • Music • Newspaper • Notebook • Onion • Paint • Paintbrush • Paintinga • Pamphlet • Paper Money • Pearl Necklace • Pennya • Physics Equationc • Poetry Booka • Postcard • Principia • Print Block • Propellerc • Quill Pen (1602)c • Quill Pen (Orleans) • Rat Trap • Republic • Ricea • Scarfa • Scissors • Scripta • Scrolla • Shield • Skull • Sledgehammerc • Spectacles (Philadelphia) • Spectacles (Washington, D.C.)a • Sphinxc • Staff • Stampa • Starmanc • Steering Wheelc • Stovepipe Hatc • Swordc • Tea Bag • Telegram • Telescope (Padua)a • Telescope (Trinidad) • Thronec • Ticketa • Timulator • Tirea • Torchc • Toya • Turkeya • Turtle Cannonc • Watcha • Warp Pipec • Whirlpool • Wooden Snake | |
| Other | Staff | |
