The Unknown Socrates: Translations, with Introductions and Notes, of Four Important Documents in the Late Antique Reception of Socrates the...
- ISBN-10
- 0865164983
- ISBN-13
- 9780865164987
- Category
- History
- Pages
- 304
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2002
- Publisher
- Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
Description
Socrates (469-399 BC) is one of history's most enigmatic figures. Our knowledge of him comes to us second-hand, primarily from the philosopher Plato, who was Socrates' most gifted student, and from the historian and sometime-philosopher Xenophon, who counted himself as a member of Socrates' inner circle of friends. We also hear of Socrates in one comic play produced during his lifetime (Aristophanes' Clouds) and in passing from the philosopher Aristotle, a student of Plato. Socrates is a figure of enduring interest. He is often considered the father of Western Philosophy, yet the four most famous accounts we have of him present a contradictory, confusing picture. Just who was Socrates? A brilliant philosopher, at times confounding and infuriating, morally serious and yet ironic; the ever-worldly man, sometime mystic, and uncommon martyr depicted by Plato? Or did Plato conflate Socrates' views with his own startling genius, as Aristotle suggests? Was So rates instead the less impressive, more mundane man whose commonsense impressed the laconic Xenophon? Or was Socrates the charlatan, the long-winded phony of Aristophanes' play? The Socratic works of Diogenes Laertius (3rd century AD), Libanius (AD 314 -- c. 393), Maximus of 'Tyre (2nd century AD), and Apuleius (born c. AD 125) add important dimensions to the portrait of Socrates: Diogenes Laertius' Life of Socrates emphasizes Socrates' deep ethical nature and his extraordinary personality; Libanius' Apology of Socrates is based on sources now lost to us; Maximus of Tyre's Whether Socrates Did the Right Thing When He Did Not Defend Himself makes the star ling claim (against testimony of Plato and Xenophon) that Socrates never spoke athis own trial; from Apuleius' On the God of Socrates we hear at length of Socrates' infamous daimonion: the "divine sign" only mentioned elsewhere, the sign that warned Socrates against certain courses of action. In short, from these four texts we are reintroduced to Socrates, and new wrinkles are added to an already intriguing historical figure.
Get the book
Similar books
-
The Shorter Socratic Writings: Apology of Socrates to the Jury, Oeconomicus, and Symposium
By XenophonThis book presents translations of three dialogues Xenophon devoted to the life and thought of his teacher, Socrates.
-
The Memorabilia: Recollections of Socrates
By XenophonThis extraordinary volume from his friend and follower Xenophon offers a spirited defense of the philosopher, including a summary of Socrates' own closing argument to the court.
-
Socrates: A Life Examined
By Luis E. NaviaQuoting extensively from these writers' works, Navia shows where biographical agreement exists and where inference and speculation begin, as in the story of the oracle of Delphi proclaiming Socrates the wisest of men.
-
The Memorable Thoughts of Socrates
By XenophonThis volume collects a number of Socrates' opinions on a variety of topics, as well as Xenophon's explanations and analysis.
-
The Passing of Socrates, How Socrates Found His Unknown God B.c. 399
By J. S. M. WardBecause we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their ...
-
Plato's Erotic Thought: The Tree of the Unknown
By Alfred GeierThe book then explores the Lysis and the Phaedrus, which both address how the object arises, in two different ways, the Socratic and the Platonic."--BOOK JACKET.
-
On Socrates
By Plato, XenophonSelected and with an introduction by Tom Griffith.
-
Apologies
By Plato, XenophonFocus Philosophical Library translations are close to and are non-interpretative of the original text, with the notes and a glossary intending to provide the reader with some sense of the terms and the concepts as they were understood by ...
-
Xenophon's Memoirs of Socrates: With the Defence of Socrates, Before His Judges
By XenophonThis work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.
-
Memorabilia
By XenophonThis translation is based on the 1934 text edited by Charles Hude. It is prefaced by a substantial introduction by Christopher Bruell and includes ample annotations by Bonnette. Annotation copyright by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR