The scene is at Phlius, a town in the Peloponnese, the home of Echeerates who, meeting Phaedo, asks for news about the last days of Socrates. Phaedo explains why a considerable interval occurred between his trial and his death, and goes on to describe the scene in the prison at Athens on the final day, giving the names of those present.

Echecrates. Were you there yourself, Phaedo, with Socrates on the day when he drank the poison in the prison, or did you hear the story from someone else?

Phaedo. I was there, Echecrates.

Ech. Then what was it that Socrates had to say before he died? And how did he meet his end? I should much like to hear; for nowadays hardly anyone from Phlius goes to stay in Athens, and it is a long time since any visitor from Athens has reached us who could give any reliable report, beyond the mere fact that he died by poisoning: no one could tell anything more than that.

Phaedo. Haven't you even heard how the trial went?

Ech. Yes, some one told us about that; and we were surprised to find that his death came such a long time afterwards. What was really the reason, Phaedo?

Phaedo. It was a matter of chance, Echecrates: it so happened that on the day before the trial they had crowned the stern of the ship which the Athenians sent to Delos.