Socrates and the Political Community: An Ancient Debate

This book takes a fresh look at Socrates as he appeared to three ancient writers: Aristophanes, who attacked him for his theoretical studies; Plato, who immortalized him in his dialogues; and Aristotle, who criticized his political views. It addresses the questions of the interrelation of politics and philosophy by looking at Aristophanes’ Clouds, Plato’s Republic, and Book II of Aristotle’s Politics – three sides of a debate on the value of Socrates’ philosophic life.

Mary Nichols first discusses the relation between Aristophanes and Plato, showing that the city as Socrates’ place of activity in the Republic resembles the philosophic thinktank mocked in Aristophanes’ Clouds. By representing the extremes of the Republic’s city, Plato shows that the dangers attributed by Political Philosophy (Book I of the 35 Aristophanes to the city are actually inherent in Republic) political life itself. They were to be moderated by Introduction 35 Socratic political philosophy rather than The Setting of the Dialogue 37 Aristophanean comedy. Socrates’ Meeting with 40 Cephalus Nichols concludes by showing how Aristotle Socrates’ and Polemarchus’ 43 addressed the question at issue between Plato Search for a Definition of Justice and Aristophanes when he founded his political Socrates’ Quarrel with 48 science. Judging Plato’s and Aristophanes’ Thrasymachus positions as partial, Nichols argues that Aristotle The Task of Political Philosophy 53 based his political science on the necessity to philosophy of political involvement and the Chapter 2. Justice in the City and 57 necessity to politics of philosophical thought. the Soul (Books II-IV of the Republic) Introduction 57 Acknowledgements Glaucon and Adeimantus 59 Introduction 1 The City of Pigs and Its 66 Part I. Aristophanes’ Laughter 7 Deficiencies (The Clouds) The Nature of the Guardians 69 Introduction 7 The Guardians’ Education in 73 Strepsiades’ Program 8 Music: The Public Tales Strepsiades’ Introduction to the 10 The Guardians’ Education in 78 Thinkery Further Considerations The Parabasis: The Clouds’ 15 The Gymnastic Education of the 81 Address to the Audience Guardians Socrates’ Instruction to 18 The Unity of the City: Its Noble 84 Strepsiades Life and Communism of Property The Contest Presented before 19 Locating Justice in the City 88 Phidippides Drawing a Parallel to the Soul 91 Its Aftermath 22 The Republic’s Defense of 95 The Standpoint of Comedy 25 Justice and Aristophanes’ Clouds

Part II. Political Philosophy: Plato’s 29 Chapter 3. Communism and 99 Response (The Republic) Philosophy (Books V-VII of the Republic) Chapter I. Plato’s Introduction to 35 Introduction 99 Socrates’ Reluctance to Speak 101 Common Natures, Common 103 Jobs Communism of Women and 106 Children The Philosopher-Kings 109 The Dangers of Politics 122

Chapter 4. A Return to the Socratic 125 Perspective (Books VIII-X of the Republic) Introduction 125 The Degeneration of Regimes 127 and Human Beings The Contest between Justice 133 and Injustice Socrates’ New Criticism of 138 Poetry Poetry and the Reconciliation of 143 the Republic’s Dichotomies The Unresolved Quarrel 147 between Aristophanes and Plato

Part III. Political Science: Aristotle’s 153 Achievement (Book II of the Politics) Introduction 153 Aristotle’s Criticism of Socrates and 156 Plato The Other Regimes in Speech 165 The Regimes in Deed 169 The List of Legislators 172 Aristotle’s Political Science as a 175 Response to Plato

Afterword. Ancients and Moderns: 181 Another Debate

Notes 189

Selected Bibliography 231

Index 233