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Socrates: A Play in Three Acts
Voltaire, the pen name of François-Marie Arouet (1694-1778), uses the great philosopher Socrates's crusty persona, trial, and death as a forum to criticize his enemies and restate his Deism. A drama that deserves a modern re-staging.
94 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1759
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About the author
Voltaire
9,427 books4,942 followersComplete works (1880) : https://archive.org/details/oeuvresco...
In 1694, Age of Enlightenment leader Francois-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, was born in Paris. Jesuit-educated, he began writing clever verses by the age of 12. He launched a lifelong, successful playwriting career in 1718, interrupted by imprisonment in the Bastille. Upon a second imprisonment, in which Francois adopted the pen name Voltaire, he was released after agreeing to move to London. There he wrote Lettres philosophiques (1733), which galvanized French reform. The book also satirized the religious teachings of Rene Descartes and Blaise Pascal, including Pascal's famed "wager" on God. Voltaire wrote: "The interest I have in believing a thing is not a proof of the existence of that thing." Voltaire's French publisher was sent to the Bastille and Voltaire had to escape from Paris again, as judges sentenced the book to be "torn and burned in the Palace." Voltaire spent a calm 16 years with his deistic mistress, Madame du Chatelet, in Lorraine. He met the 27 year old married mother when he was 39. In his memoirs, he wrote: "I found, in 1733, a young woman who thought as I did, and decided to spend several years in the country, cultivating her mind." He dedicated Traite de metaphysique to her. In it the Deist candidly rejected immortality and questioned belief in God. It was not published until the 1780s. Voltaire continued writing amusing but meaty philosophical plays and histories. After the earthquake that leveled Lisbon in 1755, in which 15,000 people perished and another 15,000 were wounded, Voltaire wrote Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne (Poem on the Lisbon Disaster): "But how conceive a God supremely good/ Who heaps his favours on the sons he loves,/ Yet scatters evil with as large a hand?"
Voltaire purchased a chateau in Geneva, where, among other works, he wrote Candide (1759). To avoid Calvinist persecution, Voltaire moved across the border to Ferney, where the wealthy writer lived for 18 years until his death. Voltaire began to openly challenge Christianity, calling it "the infamous thing." He wrote Frederick the Great: "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd, and bloody religion that has ever infected the world." Voltaire ended every letter to friends with "Ecrasez l'infame" (crush the infamy — the Christian religion). His pamphlet, The Sermon on the Fifty (1762) went after transubstantiation, miracles, biblical contradictions, the Jewish religion, and the Christian God. Voltaire wrote that a true god "surely cannot have been born of a girl, nor died on the gibbet, nor be eaten in a piece of dough," or inspired "books, filled with contradictions, madness, and horror." He also published excerpts of Testament of the Abbe Meslier, by an atheist priest, in Holland, which advanced the Enlightenment. Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary was published in 1764 without his name. Although the first edition immediately sold out, Geneva officials, followed by Dutch and Parisian, had the books burned. It was published in 1769 as two large volumes. Voltaire campaigned fiercely against civil atrocities in the name of religion, writing pamphlets and commentaries about the barbaric execution of a Huguenot trader, who was first broken at the wheel, then burned at the stake, in 1762. Voltaire's campaign for justice and restitution ended with a posthumous retrial in 1765, during which 40 Parisian judges declared the defendant innocent. Voltaire urgently tried to save the life of Chevalier de la Barre, a 19 year old sentenced to death for blasphemy for failing to remove his hat during a religious procession. In 1766, Chevalier was beheaded after being tortured, then his body was burned, along with a copy of Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary. Voltaire's statue at the Pantheon was melted down during Nazi occupation. D. 1778.
Voltaire (1694-1778), pseudónimo de François-
In 1694, Age of Enlightenment leader Francois-Marie Arouet, known as Voltaire, was born in Paris. Jesuit-educated, he began writing clever verses by the age of 12. He launched a lifelong, successful playwriting career in 1718, interrupted by imprisonment in the Bastille. Upon a second imprisonment, in which Francois adopted the pen name Voltaire, he was released after agreeing to move to London. There he wrote Lettres philosophiques (1733), which galvanized French reform. The book also satirized the religious teachings of Rene Descartes and Blaise Pascal, including Pascal's famed "wager" on God. Voltaire wrote: "The interest I have in believing a thing is not a proof of the existence of that thing." Voltaire's French publisher was sent to the Bastille and Voltaire had to escape from Paris again, as judges sentenced the book to be "torn and burned in the Palace." Voltaire spent a calm 16 years with his deistic mistress, Madame du Chatelet, in Lorraine. He met the 27 year old married mother when he was 39. In his memoirs, he wrote: "I found, in 1733, a young woman who thought as I did, and decided to spend several years in the country, cultivating her mind." He dedicated Traite de metaphysique to her. In it the Deist candidly rejected immortality and questioned belief in God. It was not published until the 1780s. Voltaire continued writing amusing but meaty philosophical plays and histories. After the earthquake that leveled Lisbon in 1755, in which 15,000 people perished and another 15,000 were wounded, Voltaire wrote Poème sur le désastre de Lisbonne (Poem on the Lisbon Disaster): "But how conceive a God supremely good/ Who heaps his favours on the sons he loves,/ Yet scatters evil with as large a hand?"
Voltaire purchased a chateau in Geneva, where, among other works, he wrote Candide (1759). To avoid Calvinist persecution, Voltaire moved across the border to Ferney, where the wealthy writer lived for 18 years until his death. Voltaire began to openly challenge Christianity, calling it "the infamous thing." He wrote Frederick the Great: "Christianity is the most ridiculous, the most absurd, and bloody religion that has ever infected the world." Voltaire ended every letter to friends with "Ecrasez l'infame" (crush the infamy — the Christian religion). His pamphlet, The Sermon on the Fifty (1762) went after transubstantiation, miracles, biblical contradictions, the Jewish religion, and the Christian God. Voltaire wrote that a true god "surely cannot have been born of a girl, nor died on the gibbet, nor be eaten in a piece of dough," or inspired "books, filled with contradictions, madness, and horror." He also published excerpts of Testament of the Abbe Meslier, by an atheist priest, in Holland, which advanced the Enlightenment. Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary was published in 1764 without his name. Although the first edition immediately sold out, Geneva officials, followed by Dutch and Parisian, had the books burned. It was published in 1769 as two large volumes. Voltaire campaigned fiercely against civil atrocities in the name of religion, writing pamphlets and commentaries about the barbaric execution of a Huguenot trader, who was first broken at the wheel, then burned at the stake, in 1762. Voltaire's campaign for justice and restitution ended with a posthumous retrial in 1765, during which 40 Parisian judges declared the defendant innocent. Voltaire urgently tried to save the life of Chevalier de la Barre, a 19 year old sentenced to death for blasphemy for failing to remove his hat during a religious procession. In 1766, Chevalier was beheaded after being tortured, then his body was burned, along with a copy of Voltaire's Philosophical Dictionary. Voltaire's statue at the Pantheon was melted down during Nazi occupation. D. 1778.
Voltaire (1694-1778), pseudónimo de François-
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
September 29, 2014
How to make use of Philosophy:
“With regard to the philosophy for which you reproach me it teaches me how to suffer the indignities of Anitus and your reproaches. To love you despite your temper.”
How to get rid of Philosophy:
“Socrates is right. But he's wrong to be right so publicly.
Where, after all, is the evil in poisoning a philosopher, especially when he's old and ugly?
Anyway, it's late, we're wasting his time! To death, to death and no more discussion about it.”
How to be resigned to Philosophy:
SOCRATES: “I’ve been prepared for death for a long while. All that worries me now is that my wife, Xantippe may come trouble my last moments and interrupt the sweet composure of my soul: I mustn't be occupied except with the Supreme Being before whom I must soon appear. But here she is: I've got to be resigned to everything.”
June 3, 2012
Distinguished read short and easy. I love the translation of Robert Silverberg which is fully apprehended. A quick summary of Socrates life, and how it ended, apparently his questioning about life is his demise which is sad. Anytus blaming Sophist, and philosopher why Athens is crumbling. He thought that general religious, and moral collapse is the cause, and with Socrates putting some ideas about things and question it is a bad idea, so Socrates must go. Socrates indictment was guilty of not worshipping the gods whom the city worships, and corrupting young men in the city of Athens. Of course, Anytus just made this up to get rid of Socrates.
Here's a lovely words of Socrates infront of the Atheanians during his trial; A man could not know what other call right, and good is really so, unless he saw it himself. And he could only see it by examining himself, by questioning every belief, by striving to see through the mists of prejudice and confusion.........An unexamined life is not worth living~~~~Socrates.
Here's a lovely words of Socrates infront of the Atheanians during his trial; A man could not know what other call right, and good is really so, unless he saw it himself. And he could only see it by examining himself, by questioning every belief, by striving to see through the mists of prejudice and confusion.........An unexamined life is not worth living~~~~Socrates.
August 8, 2024
«When you propose ridiculous things to believe, too many men will choose to believe nothing at all.»
«Socrates is right. But he's wrong to be right so publicly.»
«Socrates is right. But he's wrong to be right so publicly.»
February 3, 2019
We are in 1759, Voltaire is executing Socrates again; the French way this time. So the circus around his fatal hemlock sip is very different from Plato’s, back there in -400. Hey, Socrates (THE intolerable reasoner) don't deserve two shots of hemlock. And Voltaire knows it, being as big trouble as Socrates himself. Thus, he makes the whole thing as ridiculous as possible for his contemporary friends. You will notice that those two thousand years of civilization (between Plato and Voltaire) tamed Socrates a bit. But the accusations against the old fool got even more absurd (e.g. he has offered up no cakes to Ceres). Takeaway: Mr. Judge, civilization needs more Socrates and Voltaires.
April 25, 2018
It's interesting how different Voltaire's socrates is from plato's! This socrates is a monotheist, abused by his wife despite her love for him, presented as a father with his adopted children in the spotlight instead of his students such as plato, this version is a satire of course and it made me laugh! it's easy to see how voltaire's writings inspire rebellion against governments (judges) and organized religion (the high priest of Ceres) making him as much of a target as socrates was.
My favorite quote from it is "it is the triumph of reason to live well with those who have none."
My favorite quote from it is "it is the triumph of reason to live well with those who have none."
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December 22, 2021*essay t&d of socrates*
September 18, 2014
You will get a glimpse on who Socrates is by reading this play. Of course this play portrays the end of Socrates life.
If you read this, it will be like....
You went see the movie AVENGERS and you are just seeing final part of it. but still you can know the characters in it, the good, bad and the ugly.
If you read this, it will be like....
You went see the movie AVENGERS and you are just seeing final part of it. but still you can know the characters in it, the good, bad and the ugly.
February 27, 2011
Penei que seria interessante, mas não foi. Mais uma vez, não foi exatamente esse o livro que li e sim a biografia de Sócrates da coleção POKET BOOK
Imagino que posso até encontrar uma biografia maneira sobre a vida dela, mas de fato nao será a que eu comprei.
Imagino que posso até encontrar uma biografia maneira sobre a vida dela, mas de fato nao será a que eu comprei.
October 25, 2012
Found another favorite! :)
July 2, 2014
This play is fairly interesting. It's not going to win awards for historical accuracy, but it's an interesting use of Socrates' story and application of a love story. It makes a fairly decent play.
February 19, 2015
good books
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 10, 2015
"He is a deist! He is an atheist!"
One of my favorites of Voltaire's sarcastic commentaries on how the uneducated think!
One of my favorites of Voltaire's sarcastic commentaries on how the uneducated think!
January 9, 2012
This is a book
January 17, 2016
This was pure banter.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews