Book contents
- Xenophon and the Athenian Democracy
- Xenophon and the Athenian Democracy
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Athens in Crisis in the Hellenica
- Chapter 2 Politics and the Gentleman in the Memorabilia
- Chapter 3 Work, Money, and the Gentleman in the Oeconomicus
- Chapter 4 The Education of Callias in the Symposium
- Chapter 5 Xenophon as Expert, Advisor, and Reformer in the Hipparchicus and Poroi
- Chapter 6 Xenophon the Democratic Orator
- Conclusions
- Bibliography
- Index of Ancient Citations
- General Index
Chapter 1 - Athens in Crisis in the Hellenica
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 28 August 2020
- Xenophon and the Athenian Democracy
- Xenophon and the Athenian Democracy
- Copyright page
- Dedication
- Contents
- Acknowledgments
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 Athens in Crisis in the Hellenica
- Chapter 2 Politics and the Gentleman in the Memorabilia
- Chapter 3 Work, Money, and the Gentleman in the Oeconomicus
- Chapter 4 The Education of Callias in the Symposium
- Chapter 5 Xenophon as Expert, Advisor, and Reformer in the Hipparchicus and Poroi
- Chapter 6 Xenophon the Democratic Orator
- Conclusions
- Bibliography
- Index of Ancient Citations
- General Index
Summary
This chapter examines Xenophon’s portrayal of the Athenian elite in the opening books of the Hellenica. His presentation of the Arginusae episode (406 BC), in which the Athenian dēmos executed six of its generals without trial, focuses not so much on the behavior of the dēmos as on the essential role of elite Athenians in advising the dēmos. Despite his attraction to oligarchy as an alternative to democracy, Xenophon presents a dark picture of the regime of the Thirty and its rapid descent into violence and lawlessness and hails the restoration of the democracy as a return to normalcy and harmony. This episode is key to understanding Xenophon’s political perspective: the manifest failure of the city’s elite to offer a reasonable alternative to democracy means that for Xenophon the central political question for elite Athenians of his time is not how to overthrow the city’s democratic constitution but how to provide the democracy with the leadership it needs to succeed. Xenophon’s portrayal of several elite Athenian leaders in the opening books of the Hellenica provides some important indications of what Xenophon regards as capable and responsible elite leadership.
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- Xenophon and the Athenian DemocracyThe Education of an Elite Citizenry, pp. 16 - 36Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2020