The book explores the writings of Plato and Xenophon, situating them within modern debates about Socrates. It offers insights into the philosophical and literary elements of these texts, while also examining the apologetic strategies employed by both philosophers. This analysis provides a deeper understanding of how Socrates is portrayed and defended in their works.
The Social Virtues in the 'Symposia' of Plato and Xenophon
The book delves into the contrasting portrayals of Socrates by Plato and Xenophon, emphasizing that both writers reflect their own philosophical views rather than striving for historical accuracy. It explores the behaviors of Socrates and other characters, highlighting how these representations serve to communicate the authors' ideas. By examining the interplay between the two works, the analysis reveals deeper insights into the philosophical implications and the intentions behind each author's depiction of Socratic thought.
While Plato's and Aristotle's theories of virtue have received extensive scholarly attention, less work has been done on Xenophon's portraits of virtue and on his attitude towards the theoretical issues connected with it. And yet, Xenophon offers one of the best sources we have for thinking about virtue in ancient Greece, because he combines the analytical interests of a Socratic with a historian's interest in real life. Until recently, scholars of Xenophon tended to focus either on the historiographical writings or on the philosophical writings (chiefly Memorabilia, with some attention to the other Socratic writings and Hiero). Cyropaedia was treated as a separate entity, and Xenophon's short and more technical treatises were generally studied only by those with particular interest in their specialized topics (such as horsemanship, hunting, and Athenian finances). But recent work by Vincent Azoulay and by Vivienne Gray have shown the essential unity of his writings. This volume continues this pan-Xenophontic trend by studying the virtues across Xenophon's oeuvre and connecting them with a wide range of Greek literature, from Homer and the tragedians to Herodotus and Thucydides, the orators, Plato, and Aristotle.