The Tragedy of the Athenian Ideal in Thucydides and Plato

by John T. Hogan

Overview

This book shows how Plato's Statesman and Thucydides' presentation of the moral collapse in Athenian political discourse reveal many points of agreement between Plato and Thucydides.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781498596305
Publisher:	Lexington Books
Publication date:	07/01/2020
Series:	Greek Studies: Interdisciplinary Approaches
Pages:	374
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

John T. Hogan has a Ph. D. in Classical Languages and Literatures from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Table of Contents

Preface Introduction Chapter 1: Stasis in Corcyra Modelling Revolution for Thucydides and Plato Chapter 2: Pericles: Aspiring Statesman in Thucydides, General and Sophist in Plato Chapter 3: Athenian Speeches in Book 1: Can the Athenian Empire Aim at Justice? Chapter 4: Democracy, Demagoguery, and Political Decline in Thucydides and Plato: The Debate between Cleon and Diodotus Chapter 5: The Melian Dialogue & the End of the Political in the Statesman Chapter 6: Alcibiades’ Desire for Sicily in Thucydides and for Sexual Conquest in Plato Chapter 7: Harmodius and Aristogeiton and Political Myths Chapter 8: Euphemus and Alcibiades: The End of the Athenian Logos Chapter 9: Alcibiades as a Traitor and Grand Version of Meno Chapter 10: Nicias and the Failure in Sicily Chapter 11: Revolution in Athens: Why Democracy Failed Conclusion Bibliography About the Author

Editorial Reviews

"Hogan argues that a careful examination of the language that Thucydides chose in the speeches that are presented throughout The History of the Peloponnesian War reveals a theme of stasis. Thucydides focuses not only on the long war throughout ancient Greece, but also the unrelenting decline in values within Athens, which had tragic consequences for the birthplace of democracy. This is a book that merits study for itself, to better understand what took place in an important case 2,500 years ago, and for what yellow flags it raises for us in our own era.” 

Lowell Gustafson

"John T. Hogan brings Thucydides and Plato into dialogue in this book. He does a masterful job of comparing Plato’s and Thucydides’ views of Athens as an imperial power, and their views on Pericles and Alcibiades, the nature and goodness of democracy, the purpose and value of democratic rhetoric, what counts as statesmanship, and more. The most intriguing content in this book is Hogan’s extensive treatment of Alcibiades as Thucydides saw him and Alcibiades, Socrates’ erstwhile lover, as Plato saw him. This book is an excellent resource not only for understanding ancient history but the impact of the decline in democratic rhetoric at any time."

Laurie Johnson

"This book analyzes Thucydides’ presentation of the deterioration of political debate and conceptual categories at Athens during the Peloponnesian War. In so doing, it also explores manifold points of contact between Thucydides and Plato, highlighting their common concerns and persistent examination of contemporaries such as Pericles or Alcibiades. It thus fills an important desideratum of contemporary scholarship, which is entirely lacking in book length studies of the relation between the two authors."

Edith M. Foster

For Hogan, Thucydides contributes to Athenian civic conversations and, implicitly, to ours as well (xxv, 290). A colleague once asked how such an intricate book, written to be read and reread, could converse. Great question. The best answer I could muster was that it can be a resource for continuing conversations among its readers, always, of course, needing words. If that answer resonates at all, Hogan’s interpretive effort is a provocative contribution to that continuous revisiting.

The Review of Politics