What Does Socrates Really Know?

Socrates describes situation of a typical greek city as being like the situation on board a ship. The one person who actually understands ation, who can steer by the stars, understand the weather and so on, is disdained by every other member of the crew. So what exactly does the philosopher know which qualifies him or her for political rule? Well, clearly justice itself, and apparently beauty itself as well. In short, the philosopher knows about the forms as we know and love them from an earlier platonic dialogue, the fido.