Memories of Socrates: Memorabilia and Apology

by Xenophon, Martin Hammond (Translator), Carol Atack

'Who would you say knows himself?'

In 399 BCE Socrates was tried in Athens on charges of irreligion and corruption of the young, convicted, and sentenced to death. Like Plato, an almost exact contemporary, in his youth Xenophon (c. 430-c. 354 BCE) was one of the circle of mainly upper-class young Athenians attracted to Socrates' teaching.

His Memorabilia is both a passionate defence of Socrates against those charges, and a kaleidoscopic picture of the man he knew, painted in a series of mini-dialogues and shorter vignettes, with a varied and deftly characterized cast--entitled and ambitious young men, atheists and hedonists, artists and artisans, Socrates' own stroppy teenage son Lamprocles, the glamorous courtesan Theodote. Topics given Socrates' characteristic questioning treatment include education, law, justice, government, political and military leadership, democracy and tyranny, friendship, care of the body and the soul, and concepts of the divine. Xenophon sees Socrates as above all a supreme moral educator, coaxing and challenging his associates to make themselves better people, not least by the example of how he lived his own life. Self-knowledge, leading to a reasoned self-control, was for Socrates the essential first step on the path to virtue, and some found it uncomfortable.

The Apology is a moving account of Socrates' behaviour and bearing in his last days, immediately before, during, and after his trial.

Genres: Philosophy, Classics, History

304 pages, Paperback

Published June 23, 2023

About the author

Xenophon (Ancient Greek Ξενοφῶν, Modern Greek Ξενοφώντας; ca. 431 – 355 BC), son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, was a soldier, mercenary and a contemporary and admirer of Socrates. He is known for his writings on the history of his own times, preserving the sayings of Socrates, and the life of ancient Greece.

Historical and biographical works:
Anabasis (or The Persian Expedition)
Cyropaedia
Hellenica
Agesilaus

Socratic works and dialogues:
Memorabilia
Oeconomicus
Symposium
Apology
Hiero

Short treatises:
On Horsemanship
The Cavalry General
Hunting with Dogs
Ways and Means
Constitution of Sparta

Reviews

[Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Xenophon's Socrates is definitely worthy of your time. I found some actual useful wisdom in Memoribillia that I will hold onto.

If you want to understand Socrates, this is a critical text. Memorabilia offers a perspective of Socrates outside of Plato (and I guess Aristophanes). His Socrates is more grounded, and pragmatic, which is a significant difference, from Plato's more metaphysical and abstract Socrates.

I highly recommend this read if you're into this sort of thing, you will be satisfied. Here is a line I particularly liked from 4.6:


"Ἐγκρατεῖς δὲ ἐλεύθεροι· αὐτοὶ γὰρ κρατοῦσιν αὑτῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλους δουλούντων."

"But the self-controlled are free, for they rule over themselves and the things that enslave others."

[Susannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is good, worth a read and good to see another version/account of Socrates other than Plato’s. This version has 4 books of Memorabilia which give accounts of Socrates’s life, behaviour and conversations with other people and the Apology which gives an account of the defence Socrates gave at his trial.

I found some parts of this more engaging than others, Xenophon does not have the engaging, literary style of Plato and is also not a philosopher so there is often not much exploration of the philosophy and unlike with Plato there is often not a conclusion to any of the philosophical discussions. Therefore I prefer Plato’s dialogues and Apology.

[alexandranegru · Rating 5 out of 5]

My roman empire e de fapt Grecia antică

[Maan Kawas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a great work!!

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5