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An alternative account of Socrates trial and execution in ancient Athens. Seeks to dispel the myths surrounding Socrates' demise, and also gives a comprehensive account of Athenian history.
Synopsis
Socrates' trial and death together form an iconic moment in Western civilization. The picture we have of it is that a noble man was put to death in a fit of folly by the ancient Athenian democracy. This title presents an account of this defining period of Western civilization.
Book Details
Publisher:
FABER & FABER
Publication Date:
04-Feb-2010
ISBN:
9780571235513
Observer review
Why Socrates Died: Dispelling the Myths by Robin Waterfield
Lettie Ransley the observer Sun 14 February 2010
The death of Socrates is a dark episode in the history of Athens, the ancient seat of learning. Attempting to explain this apparently incongruous event, Robin Waterfield delves into the volatile history of the late fifth century BC, revealing a city in turmoil: beset by intergenerational conflict and locked in a debilitating war with Sparta. With the established order threatened by a generation of aristocratic young bloods led by Socrates's flamboyant lover and protege, Alcibiades, Waterfield suggests that the philosopher's association with these wild young men was his undoing as his advocacy of true "aristocracy" (rule by the best) and desire to educate a new elite of philosopher kings attracted the censure of the Athenian demos.
