Xenophons various accounts of socrates an older fellow athenian are bound to be compared by us with platos. Far more obviously than plato xenophon calls attention in his writings to his own relationship with socrates. He attempts to defend himself and his conduct, but he does not apologize for it. Plato was known for his use of irony in his writings, and when socrates addresses the court in the apology, these aspects are apparent to most readers. Together with platos apology of socrates, and to a lesser extent xenophons memorabilia, it is the only substantial contemporary record we possess of the speech socrates made in his own defense at his trial. The work is important in that, aside from platos famous apology, it is the only written account dealing with the trial of socrates extant. As a piece of writing it is not so connected and well envisioned as platos apology, but worth reading as it is the only other source for this event. Socrates held virtue to be the greatest good in life because it alone was capable of securing ones happiness.
Others have written on this theme, and all without exception have touched upon 3 the lofty style of the philosopher. The apology of socrates written by plato, is a socratic dialogue of the speech of legal. That xenophons apology of socrates to the jury deserves our attention, despite its now fashionable neglect, is easy to demonstrate. As a result, socrates was compelled to advise xenophon to proceed with. Even death is a trivial matter for the truly virtuous individual who realizes that the most important thing in life is the state of his soul and the actions which spring from it. The relationship between plato and xenophon has been the subject of research for many years. In the two decades prior to his trial it is difficult to find a single political disaster in athens the authors of which cannot be linked to socrates. It seems to me fitting to hand down to memory, furthermore, how socrates, on being indicted, deliberated on his defence and on his end.
Free an analysis of socratic irony in the apology essay. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. And we may perhaps even indulge in the fancy that the actual defence of socrates was as much greater than the platonic defence as the master was greater than the disciple. After the execution of socrates in 399 bc, a number of his followers wrote dialogues featuring him as the protagonist and, in so doing, transformed the great philo. Translated into english by henry cary see other formats ugtr the apology of socrates as written by bis friend and pupil, plato. This is a reproduction of a book published before 1923.
Wherefore, o judges, be of good cheer about death, and know this of a truth that no evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death. Apology xenophon, dakyns translation wikisource, the. It can be wondered without much help available from scholars what each of these two authors knew of the others career and writings. The apology and trial of socrates plato and xenophon by. Apology translated by benjamin jowett socrates defense in the apology by plato, socrates stands trial and faces execution. This book may have occasional imperfections such as missing or blurred pages. Download xenophon s the apology for your kindle, tablet, ipad, pc or mobile. The apology is a socratic dialogue by xenophon, a student of socrates. Platos apology of socrates takes crisis all is lost, all could be lost and performs nothing less than a resurrection. As written by his friend and pupil, plato classic reprint.
The influence of platos crito and phaedo on xenophons. Yes, socrates, and our argument runs consistently, since we have said that what is profitable is wealth. Socrates in his apology can be explained by a similar polemical motive. After the execution of socrates in 399 bc, a number of his followers. The apologyxenophon free downloadpdf epubfreeditorial.
Xenophons other famous work, memorabilia, deals in part with his memories of socrates, and in the passage below, he addresses socrates trial and execution by the athenians in 399 bce. Garvin 20 introduction it would not be possible to overestimate the importance of socrates in the development of the. In the apology, socrates cites his poverty as proof that. A comparison of the defense speeches of plato and xenophon. To know is to be able to explain what you know give an account to others in socratic dialectic answer and crossquestioning. It is true that others have written about this, and that all of them have reproduced the loftiness. As written by his friend and pupil, plato classic reprint plato, plato on.
In reply to these charges, socrates made a noble defense of his manner of living. The focus remains on the apology as a symbol for the violation of free expression, with socrates justifying his way of life as a philosopher and defending. The name of the dialogue derives from the greek apologia. The literary work is the best presentation to western philosophy plato 125. This paper argues that the accounts of socrates behavior in court given by both plato and xenophon stem from the need these authors felt to respond, in different ways, to the posttrial debate. How you, men of athens, have been affected by my accusers, i do. Especially in xenophons rather less studied first work, the apology of socrates, influences of some earlier platonic works can be found that suggest a dependent relationship.
The account of socrates decision to accept death, which was given to xenophon by socrates companion hermogenes, is that socrates was an old man and it was socrates view that for him death was more to be desired than life. Reeve is an extremely careful reader of texts, and his familiarity with the legal and cultural background of socrates trial allows him to correct many common misunderstandings of that event. Socrates discoursing on every topic rather than that of his. Xenophons defense of socrates ancient history encyclopedia. Socrates was said to be the first philosopher in greece to discourse on the conduct of life and was the first to be executed. While plato acknowledges that socrates failed in conventional terms, and develops an alternative framework for evaluating success and failure, xenophon makes the more outrageous claim that socrates was a success in conventional terms.
The apology of plato is not the report of what socrates said, but an elaborate composition, quite as much so in fact as one of the dialogues. Philosophy, religion, and the gods in the origins of liberal education roger barrus hampdensydney college liberal education is that form education appropriate for a free human being, who is both an. In addition, he integrates his reading of the apology. Athens was at war, they were doing bad except for naval victory naval commanders were put on trial for neglegance for leaving sailors out in a storm socrates argued that they shouldnt be charged and they should be tried individually. When my sons grow up, visit them with punishment, my friends, and vex them in the same way that i have vexed you, if they seem to you to care for riches, or for any other thing, before virtue. For a flute, if not put up for sale, is not wealth, because it is useless. Oxford university press usa publishes scholarly works in all academic disciplines, bibles, music, childrens books, business books, dictionaries, reference books. Fowler translation, loeb 19 edited with introduction and notes by e. Read conversations of socrates by xenophon available from rakuten kobo. The apology by xenophon free ebook project gutenberg. How does socrates quickly demolish agathons pretty speech. Apology of socrates it seems to me fitting to hand down to memory, furthermore, how socrates, on being indicted, deliberated on his defence and on his end. It only indicates when socrates is not to do something. Socrates speech, however, is by no means an apology in our modern understanding of the word.
Go here for more about socrates go here for more about xenophon go here for more about socrates apology by xenophon it follows the english translation of xenophons the apology, the account of socrates defense speech at trial, delivered at athens, greece 399 bc. Reeves book is an excellent companion to platos apology and a valuable discussion of many of the main issues that arise in the early dialogues. Socrates often mentions that he is guided by a daemon, a kind of divine spirit, oracle, or sign, that takes the form of an inner voice or nonvocal nudge. Xenophon musuem del prado it seems to me fitting to hand down to memory, furthermore, how socrates, on being indicted, deliberated on his defence and on his end. The lecture begins with an explanation of why platos apology is the best introductory text to the study of political philosophy.
Apology of socrates by xenophon the internet encyclopedia of philosophy. Meletus even insisted that socrates was an atheist and that his teachings would bring about an utter collapse of public morality. He presented sufficient evidence to show that the accusations brought against him were without adequate foundation. Among the reminiscences of socrates, none, as it seems to me, is more deserving of record than the counsel he took with himself 2 after being cited to appear before the court, not only with regard to his defence, but also as to the ending of his life. Man, you dont speak well, if you believe that a man. Just as xenophon never mentions this belief either in the apology or in the memorabilia, so plato never mentions fear of old age as a motive. From there on, xenophon offers no more eyewitness accounts, but only anecdotes that tell about the person socrates according to the socratic tradition 2932. Socrates methods and nature in the memorabilia and symposium of xenophon are in many ways very different from platos dialogs, especially after platos apology. It is true that others have written about this, and that all of them have reproduced the loftiness of his words,a fact which proves that his utterance really was of the character intimated. Xenophon of athens, apology loeb classical library.
With extracts from the phaedo and symposium and from xenophons memorabilia xenophon, plato on. Xenophons socrates although socrates himself left behind no writings for us, his disciples aeschines, antisthenes, aristippus, cebes, crito, euclides, phaedo, simmias, xenophon, and plato wrote socratic. Xenophon was away at the time, involved in the events of the march of the ten thousand. Socrates, a wise man, a student of all things in the sky and below the earth, who makes the worse argument the stronger. The book illustrates how socrates significantly founded a new mission for philosophy.
Xenophons dependence on the logoi sokratikoi written by plato has always been obvious. Plato 428348 bc one of the greatest and most influential. Home wittgensteins logic of language site map pages about socrates. How you have felt, o men of athens, at hearing the speeches of my accusers, i cannot tell. The apology of socrates captures the speech of socrates as he unsuccessfully defends himself. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. The influence of platos crito and phaedo on xenophons apology of. Full text of platos apology of socrates translated in english.