Sophocles And Alcibiades

Literary historians have long held the view that the plays of the Greek dramatist, Sophocles deal purely with archetypes of the heroic past and that any resemblance to contemporary events or individuals is purely coincidental. In this book, Michael Vickers challenges this view and argues that Sophocles makes regular and extensive allusion to Athenian politics in his plays, especially to Alcibiades, one of the most controversial Athenian politicians of his day.Vickers shows that Sophocles was no closeted intellectual but a man deeply involved in politics and he reminds us that Athenian politics was intensely personal. He argues cogently that classical writers employed hidden meanings and that consciously or sub-consciously, Sophocles was projecting onto his plays hints of contemporary events or incidents, mostly of a political nature, hoping that his audience's passion for politics would enhance the popularity of his plays. Vickers strengthens his case about Sophocles by discussing other authors - Thucydides, Plato and Euripides - in whom he also demonstrates a body of allusions to Alcibiades and others.

Three children try to catch an escaped cat.

The conventional view of Aristophanes bristles with problems. Important testimony for Alcibiades’ paramount role in comedy is consistently disregarded, and the tradition that “masks were made to look like the komodoumenoi, so that before an actor spoke a word, the audience would recognize who was being attacked” is hardly ever invoked. If these testimonia are taken into account, a fascinating picture emerges, where the komodoumenoi are based on the Periclean household: older characters on Pericles himself, younger on Alcibiades. Aspasia, Pericles’ mistress, and Hipparete, Alcibiades’ wife, lie behind many female characters, and Alcibiades’ ambiguous sexuality also allows him to be shown on the stage as a woman, notably as Lysistrata. There is a substantial overlap between the anecdotal tradition relating to the historical figures and the plotting of Aristophanes’ plays. This extends to speech patterns, where Alcibiades’ speech defect is lampooned. Aristophanes is consistently critical of Alcibiades’ mercurial politics, and his works can also be seen to have served as an aide-mémoire for Thucydides and Xenophon. If the argument presented here is correct, then much current scholarship on Aristophanes can be set aside.

Ascribed to the renowned philosopher Plato, this thought-provoking dialogue delves into the complexities of prayer, wisdom, and ignorance. Socrates encounters Alcibiades on his way to pray and challenges his understanding of the gods' response to prayers. Through insightful arguments and captivating examples, Socrates explores the dangers of misguided desires and the importance of self-awareness. As their discussion unfolds, readers are taken on a journey of philosophical discovery, questioning the true nature of knowledge and the consequences of ignorance.

Is he just a troublemaker with an attitude? Or will this spunky youth grow up to do something great? The populace of Athens holds varied opinions about Alcibiades, a handsome boy who exhibits a devious and audacious personality. Based on historical record, author Jack Meyer reconstructs the life of Alcibiades, a man who uniquely impacted classical Athens during the Peloponnesian War. An orphan, Alcibiades grew up in the household of Pericles, was Socrates' favorite student, and was immensely handsome and rich. This narrative tells the story of the stunning career of this brilliant tactical military commander, persuasive orator, and consummate traitor who switched sides three times during the war. The city's own favorite son, this product of the Golden Age, was a man as morally corrupt as he was convincingly eloquent. The reconstruction of Alcibiades' story breeds both fiction and farce, and this story of the Greek experience serves as an analogue for a critique of today's American foreign policy.

A Study Guide for Sophocles's "Women of Trachis: Trachiniae," excerpted from Gale's acclaimed Drama For Students. This concise study guide includes plot summary; character analysis; author biography; study questions; historical context; suggestions for further reading; and much more. For any literature project, trust Drama For Students for all of your research needs.