The Athens of Plato

1
The Athens of Plato Aristotle

• Greece comprised of city-states
• Many Greek democracies, but Athens was the
  oldest, most stable, most radical
• Began about 500BCE
• All male citizens could vote no representatives
  (about 30,000 total)
• Upper class males had no more power than lower
  and middle class male citizens
• Socrates was critical of Athenian Democracy,
  seeing it as allowing fools to rule

2
Aristophanes, Clouds

• STREPSIADES Socrates! my little Socrates!
• SOCRATES (loftily) Mortal, what do you want with
  me?
• STREPSIADES First, what are you doing up there?
  Tell me, I beseech you.
• SOCRATES (POMPOUSLY) I am traversing the air and
  contemplating the sun.
• STREPSIADES Thus it's not on the solid ground,
  but from the height of this basket, that you
  slight the gods, if indeed....
• SOCRATES I have to suspend my brain and mingle
  the subtle essence of my mind with this air,
  which is of the like nature, in order clearly to
  penetrate the things of heaven. I should have
  discovered nothing, had I remained on the ground
  to consider from below the things that are above
  for the earth by its force attracts the sap of
  the mind to itself. It's just the same with the
  watercress.
• STREPSIADES What? Does the mind attract the sap
  of the watercress? Ah! my dear little Socrates,
  come down to me! I have come to ask you for
  lessons.

3
The World of Plato Aristotle, 2

• When Athens was weakened in Peloponnesian War
  with Sparta (431-404BCE), the Thirty Tyrants took
  power in Athens with Spartan support
• The Thirty gave 3,000 citizens given right to
  trial and to bear arms rest could be executed
  without trial
• Thirty tried to force Socrates to bring another
  man home for execution he refused
• Overthrown in 403BCE
• Socrates put to death in 399BCE by those who
  overthrew the Thirty
• Democracy ended finally with Alexander the Great
  in 322BCE

4
Who Was Plato?

• Born c.425BCE, probably in Athens, into the
  aristocracy
• Was a student of Socrates in his youth
• Dreamed of a political career
• Fought for Athens in the Peloponnesian War, from
  about 409BCE to 404BCE
• Joined the Thirty Tyrants, but their violence
  pushed him away
• After Socrates executed, turned his back on
  politics, left Athens, travelled to Sicily,
  Egypt, Italy
• Returned and founded the Academy in Athens
  continued for 900 years after his death

5
Who was Aristotle?

• Born c.385BCE in a small Greek town father a
  physician to Macedonian king
• After parents died, raised by a guardian until he
  left for Platos Academy at 17 or 18
• Stayed for 20 years, until Platos death
• Travelled until summoned by King Philip of
  Macedon as Macedonians gained power in Greece
• Remained in Macedon, may have tutored Alexander
• When Alexander took the throne, returned to
  Athens to found the Lyceum, but relationship
  continued
• When Alexander died in 323BCE, left the Lyceum
  for the island of Euboea
• Died in 322BCE

6
Who Was Aristotle?

• Anecdotes describe him as kindly, affectionate
  and without pretense.
• His will makes references to his happy family
  life and provides for his children and slaves
• Barnes, Aristotle
• He was a bit of a dandy, wearing rings on his
  fingers and cutting his hair fashionably short.
  He suffered from poor digestion, and is said to
  have been spindle-shanked. He was a good speaker,
  lucid in his lectures, persuasive in
  conversation and he had a mordant wit. His
  enemies, who were numerous, made him out to be
  arrogant and overbearing. ... As a man he was, I
  suspect, admirable rather than amiable.