Showing results for "Xenophon" in Politics & Social Sciences

Xenophon was a Greek who admired and studied with Socrates. He marched with the Spartans and later was exiled from Athens. He wrote about the history of his times, the sayings of Socrates and about life in Greece. Edward Bysshe translated Xenophone's work in 1702. This translation has continued to have an excellent reputation. In this work Xenophon discusses the views of life taught by Socrates.

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 philosopher into a legendary figure. Xenophon's portrait is the only one other than Plato's to survive, and while it offers a very personal interpretation of Socratic thought, it also reveals much about the man and his philosophical views.

Xenophon was a friend of Socrates, and yet his concise memories of the iconic philosopher have lived under the shadow of the more voluminous accounts by Plato. Yet Xenophon’s two works are, in many ways, more entertaining and more accessible, and they present a different view of the man who embodies a clear mind, temperate, ethical living, sharp intellect and humour.

The Cyropaedia, penned in the 4th century BC by Xenophon of Athens, is a fascinating blend of fact and fiction, chronicling the life of Cyrus the Great. Xenophon, a gentleman-soldier and pupil of Socrates, weaves an intriguing narrative that has influenced political thought for centuries. The Cyropaedia, a significant influence on Machiavellis The Prince, challenged medieval political ideologies and was instrumental in shaping modern politics. This seminal work, often referred to as a mirror for princes, has sparked debates about whether it truly portrays an ideal ruler. This episode delves ...