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    Xenophons Apology and Memorabilia

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    Andres

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    © All Rights Reserved
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    sae of histor, whee the wpa, am, and ambitions ofthe diferent Protagonist (ho lewis hardly come off wll) an be exponed and con ‘dered, Xenophon’ frequent rcoute othe divin sth aratve moves {owards its en des not im any way imine the eed wo cme prey human mocvaions the sur ofthe Cadmei, th igh-hnded weatment of ales, Sphodri’ stack onthe Piraeus, the tllence of Thea forces and seaegy areal clement contbuting to the Spain ukimate under {ing In araing these ad fl ofthe great power of ier, Xenophon | was doing for is own ine what Herodots and Thucydides ad done for thers: Even ifthe end ofthe Helle spo excl a imax the fc tht Xenophon lls the story allows forthe powilty that future generations an themselves ty to unravel wht for Xenophon and hi ines wee Seen ‘only as mystery and uncer Panter Reading “Thepast decades ave seen eateemel itl readings of both of Xenophon’ historia works, Dilley 1995 looks at Xenophon entire hori output snd hows much ght on interests and asad i parc vase {ee weing Xenophon in hit contemporary conten Grny 1989 and Taplin 1995 give excel analyse, fom diferent angle, of ay esos nthe ‘alencs. Cake 1972 and 1979 are sl worth reading te former with the (not quite) second thought of Cawkwell 3004 For the Anabass there te very good esays ia Lane Fox 2004 whe ower aor isa comprehen ‘ive examination ad anal of many ofthe themes ofthe Anabais, the mote alable i hati accessible alo tothe nowrenper. Gray 2010 has 1 geod introduction and collet cet scholarship ha touches om mos of Xenophon’ vst are Seti gach ever sana rayran rrr sion sierra ‘Sastre a hit ie swede cam, oer Say ah cal he Raa wer 6 DAVID M. JOHNSON Xenophon’s Apology and Memorabilia Defending Socrates Audience, one, and History Xenophon regarded Socrates asthe best and happiest of men (Mom. 48.11) Bot he ted to reach readers indifferent or even hole to Socrates. Tit fxplains a well as anything why Xenophon’ Sortie work fer fom Pot An suthor wring about a man he admires for readers who do ot yet admire that an must wie defensive and Xenophon Apology tnd Memoria are above al defenses of Socrates. They dle ile i ‘abstncr; both Apology and Moora start witha defense against the “hag in coure ur broaden to nla 4 vigor argent that Socrates seas nc only innocent bu supremely vious. They do der considerably intone, bctue thie projected audiences area diferent stapes in thee sponses to Socrates. Tis Apology, Xenophon addres readers who ac already sympathetic nog 0 Soctaes to Wonder why he didnot defend himself wel this is ‘ota goetion one normally aks aboot guty man. Xenophon therefore ‘laine o such readers tat Socrates spoke bowl ath rial Beaase Ine was confident that he had lived jos and altogether supra lie, and thor mat noma his advanced ag eay oc (Apology 1). Thea ‘ace Xenophon imagines for the Memorabis on he other hand, presun Shy inloer readers sil open othe atacks against Socrates otherwise “Xenophon would not sped so mach tne sommaring aed refuting sich fanguments. To convince there render, Xenophon mount a eth ie ‘Bene of Socrates (Mem: 1-Layand does a moch beter jb of defend ing Socrates than bellows Socrates to do on his own al the Apology. (Onc hs dfesve cases made, he Memoria can go ovr to the pos tine cae for Sorts, Tha wile Socrates bos the Apology hat hes ‘pero oer nthe Memos Kenphon pies him Beas he ie "owe eon tonhtk yori a a wih no Ra Lege Ven ‘mos helpful o others ~ 2 rather more ative carats to pusent to a ier range of readers By the tne we each the end of the Monorail, Xenophon has converted his crcl acne so that it resembles the aud ence be tarts within Apology a cam agun discs wy Socrates dd not ‘mount an ellecve defense. Ths the Momordbii ends by adress the ‘question, and the andience, thatthe Apology began with The ewo works ifr not so much becuse Xenophon has changed hi views a8 Besse he has changed his readers ‘Xenophon’ Socrates makes ao effort to avoid the death pony, ad indeed provokes theough hs boning Apology 5), but his Ap) does ‘ot ony show Socrates commiting sie by jr. Rater Socrates wanted to demonstrate that he was neithe impious nor unas (Apology 33) He ‘ido not only by addesing the legal charges agit hi —that he de ot scknowledpe the gods of Athens, bu introduced new divinities and cor “ype the young but by arguing that he was the mot jest aad moet pes ‘frmen In he fller defense in the Meorabiis Xenophon bigs tore arguments against Socrates on the stag. Some of those arguments rt ompaims abou Sorte going hack to Aristophanes Clouds (cling Serrae' tendency tana sos fom the fathers oer wl hve Been ‘ied at the ta and ll thers may re angen ade yes ae by the Atenia sophist Plyeatess Whatever he timate source of thse tacks a Socrates, is clear that Xenophon manipalates the thro of the acusers o his own eds, showing them progrsively beaten down by is angen defense of Socrates Xenophon sims to prove not ony that Socrates was eeligiousl ontodox hough he des li hs agly by ct ing Socratic orhopeaxyl, but that Sorte wae the mos pou of he. So {oo he dd not comape he youth, How could he, piven how self controlled he was? Rates he benefited then, ad ere inthe case of is scandalous young charges Alsbindes and Grits, he ders cred for taming them ‘longa he dd. at fom being guy of capital fens, he wa in fat ‘worthy of honor by the iy Unle Xenophon Socratic dakgues, the Ocomomses and Symposia, and indeed une all he other ely Soca itertur that has ome dowa {ous Memoria and Apology havea cea authoral vie, tltvely ‘ear anience, and an over agenda the defense of Sorat. Bu just who oe lo tg cbf me : Mayol ‘iesnoe bee rnc, 2 Gayoso impor dob cour ing Payers Xeaophon's Apo and Nomi is thi Socrates that Xenophon i defending? Ist the trical Socrates, Sacrates sa fcionalXenophontc ideal or something in between? Whether ive ant 10 oF not, we had Beer confront he Socratic Question, which J practice means no so mach asking who te istorcal Socrates Was as tking whether pari of the hstoreal Socrates spacial. Expeialy ‘mong stds of Nenophon’ Socrates, dhe tend has bon to characterize Istana approaches to Xenophon’ Sera his texts eturing Sette) asa waste of ime This not che place to efght that questo, but et us teas lane athe Beinnng of Nenophons Apology, which may be out Single moet important pee of evidence reparding the Socratic Questo, Ie sem ome workwhe ako 0 ral how hen e's een mimmoned ‘ol Sct ders abou dene a tou tee of ie ‘Others hae ined writen about hin al of he ae apres easing which aes itl hat Sects rely poke heh, Bt hey ba feria beh oosing apes ato Now Heroes ‘wesacompanion find repartingthe ollowing boa hin be mae ‘lara Sorte hosing wa ingen ine (1-3) Xenophon appeae to he approaching hi task ike hitorian.” He makes ‘Sscraer reilly was bss e characterizes his ak a corresting thet fare wo explain Socrates’ motivation, htc enough endeavor and betes his souree, Heemogenes, a necessary move given that Xenophon se off withthe Ten Thouand in Ansa the me of erate tal the teal of Socrates one ofthe most important and controversial evens i ‘Athenian history, we shoud be recved ose that Xenophon presets is ‘aves as historical this seme And gen that many of Kenopom’ ‘works are “historia” some sens of tha aught word ira ere ‘may help a 0 link Xenophon: procedure mis Socrates to hat in is ter works, Inthe cate of the rial of course, we have an extant alkerative aesount ofthe vets Xenophon describes, Plato’ Apalg: Pato mt be one of the ‘ter authors Xenophon ete cizes. Xenophon found Plato’ Socrates toarfal enough a ave mont not all moder reader, and Plato Socrates oes alae to he evil of old ag, ba only yeu and latin is Apology (gtd) Xenophon corto of Pat account consiein puting Sere” Soto fon adh 189 hw thy play cue Xenophon’ ‘da ri canna hb a Sh ‘aigen ropa sp reatinsst0 de front and center at an explanation for how the wil ‘hflded,Orher divergences between ur two sources are more sting, ‘nhs make hore resonsrction harder bat lo peovide isi ito ‘he paricularcharacer of Nenopon’ work. Wheres in Plato the Delphic ‘orale repre hat oo man war wer than Sorates (Pat, Apology 2}, ‘when Xenophon presents the story he has Apo ge the more fulsome ‘sponse chat no tan Was ote Hee, more jst oF more moderate than Socrates [Apology 4}! Later afer Socrates had hoe comicted of impiety, nd. was time forthe defendant suggest an alternate tthe death pe Sly the prosecution was asking fo Pato Sorter allowed ie fend 0 ‘oluncer to pay submtanial fine o his behalf Apology 98). Xenophon, ‘n the chee hand els us that Sorte explicy efused to suggest any petal at al a doing vo would amount oan admiasion of gl (Apology 5}, oth dferects highlight the oastflnss of Nenopbon’s Socrates, He isnot merely wise than other men in knowing that he knows nothing important, 3 la Pato Socrates: he 3 selecontolled and selfsufcient that ao man could be more fee o more jt. So too hirer eo even ss counter penalty hlighs his uncompromising ature Batches dferees, while substantive and striking, ae not pethaps as vsighey ae they many rem Xewogs Svrte dvy san ag, na Ir examination of what the oracle meas chat hes wise than anyone se LUpolgy 16) and Plt’ Socrates, whl ying to his ren sop that he fer a counter penalty, does aly afer inflame jr by 3) ing uh what he ealy deserved war a permanent pce of honor af ate anqucte (Apology 364). A deeper difference comes inthe divine mision that Pato Soczates somehow dei rm the orc the isin tha ed him to question hs flow Athenians and exhort them 9 purse virtuous soul ater thn wealth oe gory. Tze sno hint of ay uch mission in Xenophon’ Apology Nog it sul be sis Sorat ison explily Asc in anyother Socratic work by Xenophon o Plt, aig the pos "sbi thar Plat ovate ic forthe special ccamstances of is Apology? “That mision rls more general dincon herwecn to Socrates tnd Xenophon’, ato ses hime as devned oa special way of ith ‘st pilwophy and hr conversation are more limited Yo topic we would fecogize ts phiowophical. His ison thus part of Plat proslying for philosophy promotion ofthe very way of life Pato was leading in the Academy. Xenophon’ Socrates aso special mission. Heb moe te fated withthe reso ose and esses a far wider ange of tpi. es 1 rf ing ot ae in in Wa. Xenophon Apology and Memo ‘ough say wheter Plato has imprited his own notion of pilosophy sa ‘way offen to Socrates, or Xenophon has downplayed hs asec ofthe stoi Socrates to ring hin more in soe with Xenophon own, wider range of interests But oth could he trae: Socrates could well hae boon oth moe practical than Plato presets hin, and me philosophical than Xenophon impli eis often the case that Xenophon pra of Socrates is compatible ith Paok, even where they emphasize dlleent thing “This ross that historical reconstruction need no be vain ~ though i is coanly pecs coowgh pen the coupler mlatoahip betwen cot ‘The Stacia and Gent ofthe Memorabilia After the diet defense of Socrates, Xenophon introduces the est ofthe Memorabi a flows: “He alo scemed to me to cal Beefs com- tion, sometimes in deed y showing the sor of man he wa, sometimes fn convesation. [wil writeup 2+ much ofthis at emember™ (Mam. 13.1 “The second sentence, a pil ie of Xenophon’ humiy as an auton a fein introduction to the ret ofthe Memorabilia, The probly ie tiple conerstons, some very short actos a tremendous range of roi [Absence chrooloical amework of Anabass, Hella oCropaed, the dramatic unity of his Sorat dialogues (economics and Symposion, forthe clear argumeneatine strate of his treats, Xenopow ight be thooght ave lst his way. was long chought chat the Memorabilia fl ino two uneal pars pablked at ifleent Sines: a rlatvely coberent dkfese, then long collection of isolated passages, dawn perp fom ores Kenopbon happened to make of Socrates in action ‘Sich developmental typtteas are now lagely dacousted, were, and there is more strctra inerity here than meets the eye. Xenophon Aemontates Sorte ful St by aerating sections depicting it piety andseif conto, Socrates’ chi characteristics in Xenophon 1-3-2.) We then move ont a series of conversions in wich Socrates beefs fase famly and then fends (22-210). The third ook shows him pro- ‘iding bens to woul be leaders (31-7) then, following a pai of ore philosophical chaps onthe goody he Deu, vite, and knowledge (54-3) werum practical ace to aia and ters (310-514), Book *facacomidety mee a on hepsi of hia rion ‘com wna nd Xen Dos tree Dim oon eam semanas hr ov gy ce teh onl th Mom i 4 illaszater Socrte approach to his companions (1, gly ec ough his education of Euhydeman which stare with 2 humbling philosophial sedetion of the young ad (4.2 followed by more pose lsons (4.5, 145-451 A passage on lw and asic wth the soph Hip intervenes inthe mds of hs (4.4 A caper on the proper limits of learing and concluding caper retarning tothe tal an camiating i pang Soot virtues wrapup te work 47-43). The hase sac ofthe Memorabilia thus resemble tract com: mon in Geek forensic rary, ia which secon devoted to mein he Specie charges at hand (1.1.12) i followed by another section, fen Tonge which lays ou the vite ofthe defendant (13-48 Xenophon ‘etoms to and amplifies is westment of key themes, beginning inthe Tg eno may hve sicnty alrt P’ a Dson “Ethan op pl too awe 2 eae psa Date alan Ae ep din Do of Socrate projected by the Soci "Xenophon Socrates” ie a0 the Socrates who appears ia Xenophon and ony in Xenophon: be Soca | hes shaped by Xenophon, Benes, Pleasure, and Sblery In Xenophon’ view the best way to demonstrat erate” fulnes 29 show him engaged with nomerosinerocutrs ona wide range tpi “Theve topics include phoophial oncepes we would haye expected ffom Pao Socrates, as efforts a defining sic epeilly in 4.2) and other ey plloopheal ems (1-36 38,5. 46) re Xenophon Socrates sully secs wie Pato’ Socrates eat fails hough Xenophon

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