Plato’s individual soul and Xenocrates’ daimon. Is the pupil correcting the master?

The link between the individual ψυχή and the δαίμων appears in various forms in Plato’s dialogues. This paper examines what kind of soul and daemon are involved, the nature of their relationship, and whether their connection is ontological or metaphorical. These issues are central to understanding individual choice and ethical responsibility. I compare Plato’s views with those of Xenocrates, the third scholarch of the Academy, who reinterprets Plato’s ideas within a revised ontological and psychological framework. Xenocrates identifies the human soul itself as a δαίμων, unique, immortal, divine, but influenced by human passions. By analysing his reading of Timaeus 90 a-c and Republic X 617 e, 620 d-e, I explore how he rethinks also the Phaedrus. For Xenocrates, the soul can become good or bad through personal effort, opposing Plato’s deterministic idea of prenatal choice. This reinterpretation emphasizes the soul’s potential for development and happiness as a form of ὁμοίωσις θεῷ, grounded in ethical responsibility and self-improvement.