'The fox knoweth many things, the hedgehog one great thing': the relation of philosophical concepts and historical contexts in Plato's Dialogues

A line from Archilochus - "The fox knoweth many things, the-hedgehog one great thing" - inspired Isaiah Berlin's typology of intellectuals that differentiates between system thinkers who cling to a great idea (hedgehogs) and those who focus on diversity and plurality (foxes). For Berlin, Plato is a typical hedgehog. This article expands on this idea observing that while Plato the philosopher is certainly concerned with a unity and order that transcends phenomena, Plato the author of dialogues is very fox-like, extensively making use of the diversity of the phenomenal world, its history and individual personalities. Discussing the "Republic" and "Timaeus" in particular, the essay sheds light on the problem of historical diversity as setting for philosophical argument, demonstrating how Plato the author tries to serve Plato the philosopher in his effort to persuade those who have difficulties accepting the results of abstract philosophical arguments. The dramatic structure and the historical setting of the dialogues is part of the strategy of philosophic rhetoric. The fox, so to speak, is the servant of the hedgehog. The close link between Plato the philosopher and Plato the author is not news but it is interesting that Plato himself reflects on this in the dialogues. (Quotes from original text)