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| The Republic Jean-Leon Gerome source Wikiart |
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| Pleasure (1900) Eugene de Blaas source Wikiart |
Glaucon protests that Socrates has not made a reasonable enough explanation of why Justice is preferable to injustice. First, he says, there are three classes of good:
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| The Republic Jean-Leon Gerome source Wikiart |
The dialogue begins around the year of 410 B.C. at the port of the Piraeus, a town five miles from Athens. As we read of the overthrow of the Athenian democracy in 404 B.C. in Thucydides’, History of the Peloponnesian War, Socrates begins to ask the questions about the benefits of democracy and builds his Republic on those ideas. He begins by questioning the benefits and results of Justice.
“Thucydides, an Athenian, wrote the history of the war between the Peloponnesians and the Athenians, beginning at the moment that it broke out, and believing that it would be a great war, and more worthy of relation than any that had preceded it.”
Ah, the lovely Landmark editions! Where would I be without them? I would have no idea the location of Thrace or Thessaly or Corinth, etc. and therefore have less of a concept of the complicated dynamics that influenced various states in their struggles to fit into the puzzle of Hellenistic supremacy!
Thucydides account of the war between Sparta and Athens falls just after the events recounted in Herodotus’ The Histories. Athens, high on her victory over the very powerful Xerxes, king of Persia, during the Persian Wars, is feeling rather self-important and she appears to be rushing around with her forces, conquering states here and subduing enemies there. And while Athens becomes more powerful, the Lacedaemonians of Sparta are left to conduct their somewhat mundane and traditional existence. But Athens’ power begins to worry them and while they were allies during the Persian Wars, this brotherhood appears to be heading towards a separation that could prove bloody as well as costly.
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| Isle of Chios Frederic Leighton source ArtUK |
History of the Peloponnesian War
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| A Dream of Ancient Athens Sydney Herbert source ArtUK |
History of the Peloponnesian War
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| Athenian navy, Sicily source Wikimedia Commons |
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| Ruin of Greek Theatre, Taormina, Sicily Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller source Wikiart |
History of the Peloponnesian War
Book V: After the armistice is concluded, Cleon, emboldened by his success in Pylos, leads an expedition through Thrace to Torone where he takes Torone, destroying some of Brasidas’ fortifications. He makes Eion his base and Brasidas makes Amphipolis his, whereupon Cleon attacks, however in his delusions of grandeur he misjudges his ability, and tries to retreat too late. In the fighting, Cleon is killed but his nemesis, Brasidas, is also fatally wounded.
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| Argos from Mycene (1884) Edward Lear source ArtUK |
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| Pylos from the north source Wikipedia |
History of the Peloponnesian War
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| Athens with the Acropolis William James Müller source ArtUK |
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| He became a target for every arrow (Brasidas) source Wikipedia |
History of the Peloponnesian War
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| Landscape of Attica Nikolaos Lytras source Wikiart |
Book III: In the summer of the fourth year, there is much action along the Ionian coastline. Sparta also prepares to invade Attica. Lesbos revolts from Athenian control and Mytilene follows suite and after fighting, Athenian strength prevails. Cleon and Diodotus argue over how to treat the revolutionaries with Cleon arguing for execution. In the end, Athens votes to spare them.
We have many descriptions of battles and states allying with one opponent or the other. Most often the alliance was formed for self-preservation, rather than from any deep conviction, although the occasional loyalty did crop up.
The Thebans and Plataeans squabble, Sparta judges and executes the Plataeans (yes, all of them) and their city is razed.
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| Peloponnese region courtesy of Ian Gkoutas source Wikimedia Commons |
History of the Peloponnesian War
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| Pericles Funeral Oration (1877) source Wikimedia Commons |
Book II: This book takes the reader from the beginning of the war to the third year in the winter season. An altercation between Spartan and Athenian allies provides the spark for Sparta to invade Hellene lands and so the war begins, with descriptions of battle and raids and refugees. and even the great Athenian general Pericles donates his land to the Athenian government for political reasons. His eulogy over dead fighters (his famous funeral oration) gives a particular insight into Hellenic culture and character:
