The Memorabilia
- Language:
- English
- Status:
- Complete work
- Authorship:
- Written by the author
- Condition of the text:
- No scanning noise detected (automatic measure over the whole text, not checked by hand)
- Extent:
- ~70,100 words · 333 passages
Cite this work
- APAXenophon. (n.d.). The Memorabilia. Digital reproduction: SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/xenophon/the-memorabilia
- MLAXenophon. The Memorabilia. Digital reproduction, SigPhi, https://sigphiai.com/en/works/xenophon/the-memorabilia.
- ChicagoXenophon. The Memorabilia. Digital reproduction, SigPhi. https://sigphiai.com/en/works/xenophon/the-memorabilia.
Reference to the edition that SigPhi reproduces: SigPhi is its digital reproduction, not its publisher. The edition's year is not in the metadata (hence "n.d."), and the translator appears only when recorded.
What it is about
Recollections of Socrates' conversations, written to defend him against the charges that killed him.
Context and history
The other ancient source on Socrates beside Plato, and comparing the two is what is called the Socratic problem: Xenophon's Socrates is practical, moral and fairly conventional; Plato's is a metaphysician. Which is closer to the real man has been argued for twenty-four centuries. Note: this work appears twice, under the modern title and the older «The Memorable Thoughts of Socrates». Say which you cite.
Editorial context, not a citable source: unlike the passages of the work itself, these statements cannot be checked against the corpus.
in respect of pleasures; lastly that he was so formidable in debate that there was no antagonist he could not twist round his little finger. Such being their views, and such the character of the pair, which is the more probable: that they sought the society of Socrates because they felt the fascination of his life, and were attracted by the bearing of the man? or because they thought, if only we are leagued with him we shall become adepts in statecraft and unrivalled in the arts of speech and action? For my part I believe that if the choice from Heaven had been given them to live such a life as they saw Socrates living to its close, or to die, they would both have chosen death. Their acts are a conclusive witness to their characters. They no sooner felt themselves to be the masters of those they came in contact with than they sprang aside from Socrates and plunged into that whirl of politics but for which they might never have sought his society. It may be objected: before giving his companions lessons in politics Socrates had better have taught them sobriety. (6) Without disputing the principle, I would point out that a teacher cannot fail to discover to his pupils his method of carrying out his own precepts, and this along with argumentative encouragement. Now I know that Socrates disclosed himself to his companions as a beautiful and noble being, who would reason and debate with them concerning virtue and other human interests in the noblest manner. And of these two I know that as long as they were companions of Socrates even they were temperate, not assuredly from fear of being fined or beaten by Socrates, but because they were persuaded for the nonce of the excellence of such conduct. (6) {sophrosune} = "sound-mindedness," "temperence." See below, IV. iii. 1.…