Alcibiades

Human nature and politics are inseparable. Raw, overpowering, and mighty, human nature is the dynamic force that drives political discourse. While Sophocles’ Antigone and Thucydides’ On Justice, Power, and Human Nature appear to be simply two independent works of antiquity, both convey timeless teaching on human nature. These interconnected lessons are relevant in modern political leadership and serve as a guide for moderation, justice, and engagement. Leadership Requires Moderation Human…

Plato’s Symposium is a dialogue of a party that was thrown to honor Agathon on the success of his first tragedy. In order to explain what was discussed at the party, Apollodorus uses information that he’s gained from various sources to explain the events of the party as well as to explain the many eulogies given by men to honor the God, Love. At the party, the men decide to drink until they do not feel like doing so anymore and they also decide to eulogize Love; these eulogies cover a wide…

to lead the expedition. They named Alcibiades, Nicias and Lamchus as their leaders. Nicias, who had tried to convince the people of Attica not to go to Sicily, suggested that they sail towards Sicily and force a settlement between Segesta and Selinus; then after that return home. Lamachus, suggested that they could attack their real enemy, Syracuse as this would catch them off guard, and would encourage the rest of Sicily to be on the Athenian side. Alcibiades was the expedition’s leader of…

Response: After reading everyone's speeches displayed throughout the Symposium, I felt as if their styles were very unique to themselves and they openly displayed their opinions without hesitation. Although they are all discussing the unanimous topic of Eros, they discuss the matter with such different tones that display Eros in multiple personas. I found this striking because every single speaker viewed Eros in their own way, often shifting the mood of the dinner back and forth. Starting off…

Symposium, Plato has depicted a dramatic scene when Socrates was confronted by drunk Alcibiades, who disclosed their love affairs to every guest present at the party. Alcibiades attempted to seduce Socrates with his handsome appearance so that he could share Socrates’ wisdom; nonetheless, Socrates rejected Alcibiades because he believed it was unfair to trade handsomeness for wisdom. The relationship that Alcibiades sought to establish with Plato is what we have examined – a mixture of sexual…

Alcibiades told his story of how he met Socrates, how he feel for him, wanting Socrates to be his lover, and wanting to give him everything. However, Alcibiades could not help be feel conflicted. He expressed how he could live and could not live out Socrates, and how he could not help but feel trap when he is with Socrates, while feeling fulfilled. Alcibiades’ feelings for Socrates at that moment, are very similar to the feelings…

family became tainted by the duty of being executioners goes back to his father, Heinrich Schmidt, who was originally a woodman and fowler. He becomes an executioner because of the lord, Albrecht II Alcibiades, who was involved in the religious conflicts in the Hof region in 1540 and 1550. Alcibiades would arrest three gunsmiths because of a supposed plot on his life and had a bystander execute the smiths by invoking a ancient custom. The bystander chosen would be Heinrich Schmidt. This would…

Comparing Athenian Democracy and Modern US Democracy Jason Rochon History 2321: World Civilizations I May 25, 2016 As man progressed from a nomadic lifestyle into a more urban lifestyle, the need for some sort of structure arose. With cities forming and urban populations increasing, the need for law and order grew. Early civilizations developed varying forms of government to address the rising needs of urban city life. Of these forms of government, democracy is one that has endured…

Teachibililty and Unteachability of Virtue “Virtue, according to the Stoicism Model of Philosophy, is a single thing, and the individual virtues are its parts.” In Plato’s dialogue Protagoras, Protagoras both begins and ends on the subject of the teachability and unteachability of virtue. Socrates questions Protagoras, the sophist, on the teachability of virtue. The latter in the argument argues that virtue can in fact be passed on, as well as the former arguing the opposition. Initially, it…

Many of you may remember Alcibiades, an eloquent speaker. He spoke in the assembly during our short peace with Sparta. Even though we had fought many years without rest, Alcibiades pushed for a campaign in Sicily, and despite our better judgement, he won over our assembly and led one of the most humiliating wars in our history. Another example is Cleon…