I think arete means to reach your full potential as a person. I believe that Socretes and the greeks took this in to consideration in everything they did. Socretes did not let the government keep him down. He talked about what he felt and did not care what happened to him. "He lived his life to the fullest " as you could say. The greeks were known for there fearless additude twords war and academics. They had to much pride to go down without a fight. This is what sadly brought Socretes to his death. He was sentenced to death by preaching is mind. That is how i believe Socretes and the greeks embraced arete.