Childhood, dentition and wings of the soul in plato’s phaedrus

Hippocrates' teachings exerted significant influence on Athenian intellectuals, notably on Plato, who drew extensively from Hippocratic treatises. This article examines how Plato integrates Hippocratic medical concepts to construct a physiology and anatomy of the soul, modelled on the somatic processes of childhood growth - particularly the phenomenon of dentition. Focusing on key passages from the Phaedrus, the study highlights Plato's intentional appropriation of physio-pathological terminology to describe the germination of the soul's wings. A detailed comparison with Hippocratic texts on teething reveals a shared medical lexicon used to depict both physical and psychic transformations, reflecting a continuity between body and soul. The comparison between dentition and the sprouting of the soul's wings illustrates how the soul's return to the hyperuranion mirrors bodily transitions from childhood to adulthood in both physical and cognitive terms. Childhood physiology serves as an epistemological model for philosophical thought, revealing ancient conceptions of childhood as a transformative stage.