Though Pericles and Alcibiades were related by blood they were quite different. Pericles was a diplomat, he approached matters with a level head and tried to find a solution that did not end in bloodshed. Alcibiades was less stable, he either fought, manipulated, or ran when confronted with a problem.

Was Alcibiades related to Pericles?

Alcibiades' guardian, the statesman Pericles, a distant relation, was too preoccupied with political leadership to provide the guidance and affection that the boy needed. ... As he grew up, Alcibiades was strikingly handsome and keen witted, but he was extravagant, irresponsible, and self-centred as well.

What is Alcibiades known for?

Alcibiades (or Alkibiades) was a gifted and flamboyant Athenian statesman and general whose shifting of sides during the Peloponnesian War in the 5th century BCE earned him a reputation for cunning and treachery. Good-looking and rich, he was also notorious for his extravagant lifestyle and loose morals.

What was the relationship between Alcibiades and Socrates?

Alcibiades had a particularly close relationship with Socrates, whom he admired and respected. Plutarch and Plato describe Alcibiades as Socrates's beloved, the former stating that Alcibiades "feared and reverenced Socrates alone, and despised the rest of his lovers".

How did Alcibiades betray Athens?

The request was granted, but the night before they were due to set sail, the anxious Alcibiades strangely decided to settle his nerves by mutilating statues of Hermes in Athens. ... He now became a thorn in the side of his home city, giving the Spartans Athenian military secrets and encouraging Athens's allies to revolt.

The Greek Triple Agent: Alcibiades, The Strategist Who Fought On 3 Sides of the Peloponnesian War

What is distinctive about Alcibiades speech at the end of the symposium?

Alcibiades joined Socrates under one sheet but by the end of the night, Alcibiades had not managed to arouse Socrates in the least. ... Alcibiades concludes his speech by remarking that we cannot liken Socrates to any other person, past or present. At best, we can compare him to a satyr who is god-like on the inside.

Is Socrates in love with Alcibiades?

Socrates presents himself as a would-be lover of Alcibiades, one who has, for some reason, never approached him before and who persists in his interest in Alcibiades even after the other suitors have turned their attention elsewhere.

What is Socrates argument in Alcibiades?

Socrates claims that people should fight on just grounds, but he doubts that Alcibiades has any knowledge about justice. Prodded by Socrates' questioning, Alcibiades admits that he has never learned the nature of justice from a master nor has discovered it by himself.

What happened to Pericles?

Pericles was briefly deposed in 430, but after the Athenians' efforts to negotiate with Sparta failed, he was quickly reinstated. In 429 Pericles' two legitimate sons died of the plague. A few months later, Pericles himself succumbed. His death was, according to Thucydides, disastrous for Athens.

Who accused Alcibiades?

The Spartans accused Alcibiades of being untrustworthy, because some feared he had too much power. He then left for the western capital of Persia, Sardis, but was recalled by the Athenian navy to help their fleet in 411.

When did Alcibiades defect to Sparta?

Her work has appeared in scholarly publications such as Archaeology Online and Science. Alcibiades (450–404 BCE) was a controversial politician and warrior in ancient Greece, who switched allegiances between Athens and Sparta during the Peloponnesian War (431–404 BCE) and was eventually lynched by a mob for it.

Why did Alcibiades want Athens to fight in Sicily?

Alcibiades informed Sparta that there would be an invasion of the Peloponnese if Sicily was conquered, and that they should send help to Syracuse and also fortify Decelea near Athens. The Athenians, he said, feared nothing more than the occupation of Decelea.

Who is Alcibiades symposium?

Like Agathon and Aristophanes, Alcibiades is a historical person from ancient Athens. A year after the events of the Symposium, his political enemies would drive him to flee Athens under fear of being sentenced to death for sacrilege and turn traitor to the Spartans. By his own admission, he is very handsome.

What extraordinary effect does Socrates have on Alcibiades?

Hence by portraying Socrates as a wonderful aulete, Alcibiades actually tells the truth about him: Socrates' powerful 'aulos songs' are as divine as Marsyas', because they are able to reveal the unhealthy and troubled state of other people's souls and, at the same time, provide a cure for them.

Was euthyphro a real person?

Euthyphro of Prospalta (/ˈjuːθɪfroʊ/; Ancient Greek: Εὐθύφρων Προσπάλτιος; fl. 400 BCE) was an ancient Athenian religious prophet (mantis) best known for his role in his eponymous dialogue written by the philosopher Plato.

Does love exist philosophy?

Philosophically, the nature of love has, since the time of the Ancient Greeks, been a mainstay in philosophy, producing theories that range from the materialistic conception of love as purely a physical phenomenon—an animalistic or genetic urge that dictates our behavior—to theories of love as an intensely spiritual ...

Who was Socrates best friend?

Plato and Socrates on Friendship.

What is Eros philosophy?

Eros (/ˈɛr. ɒs, ˈɪər-/; from Ancient Greek ἔρως (érōs) 'love, desire') is a concept in ancient Greek philosophy referring to sensual or passionate love, from which the term erotic is derived. ... Lewis posits it as one of the four ancient Greek words for love in Christianity, alongside storge, philia, and agape.

What was the deal between Sparta and Persia?

The treaty stated that Sparta surrendered all of Greece outside the Peloponnese. The Persian king Cyrus the Great had subdued all "Yaunâ" living in Asia (ca. 545), Darius I the Great had conquered Thrace and Macedonia (c. 512), to which king Xerxes had briefly added Thessaly, Boeotia, and Attica in 480-479.

How does Plato or Alcibiades characterize Socrates?

Alcibiades' speech serves primarily to show that Socrates exemplifies the qualities of the ideal lover alluded to in Diotima's speech. ... Further, Alcibiades' depiction of Socrates on military campaigns suggests that he is rough and brave, much like Diotima's physical characterization of Love.

How does Agathon end his speech?

Agathon concludes with a rhetorically complex eulogy praising every aspect of Love, who is responsible for beauty, excellence, mildness, wisdom, goodness, excellence, and much else besides.