The son of wealthy and influential athenian parents, Plato 
began his philosophical career as a student of Socrates.  After his 
master died he traveled to Egypt and Italy where he studied with 
students of Pythagoras.
	In his writings Plato tried to pass on what he had learned from
Socrotes.  His late writings often modify or compleatly abandon the 
formal structure of dialogue that was present in his first generation
works.
	(www.philosophypages.com)