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  • Open Daily: 10am - 10pm
    Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm

    3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
    612-822-4611

Open Daily: 10am - 10pm | Alley-side Pickup: 10am - 7pm
3038 Hennepin Ave Minneapolis, MN
612-822-4611
Menexenus

Menexenus

Plato

Hardcover

PhilosophyLiterary CriticismLogic

ISBN10: 1161442448
ISBN13: 9781161442441
Publisher: Kessinger Pub Llc
Published: May 23 2010
Pages: 26
Weight: 0.60
Height: 0.25 Width: 7.00 Depth: 10.00
Language: English
Menexenus is a dialogue by the ancient Greek philosopher Plato, believed to have been written in the fourth century BCE. The dialogue is set in Athens and features Socrates and Menexenus, a young Athenian aristocrat, discussing the nature of rhetoric and the art of public speaking.The dialogue begins with Socrates and Menexenus attending a funeral oration given by an unnamed speaker. Socrates critiques the speech, arguing that it is not a true eulogy but rather a piece of propaganda designed to glorify Athens and its citizens. He then proceeds to give his own funeral oration, which he claims was given to him by the goddess of memory.Socrates' oration is a parody of traditional Athenian funeral speeches, as he uses a series of puns and wordplay to mock the speaker and his style. However, he also uses the opportunity to critique the Athenian political system and the role of rhetoric in shaping public opinion.Throughout the dialogue, Socrates and Menexenus discuss the nature of rhetoric and its relationship to truth and justice. They also explore the idea of the good death and the importance of living a virtuous life in order to achieve it.Menexenus is considered one of Plato's lesser-known works, but it is still valued for its insights into ancient Greek culture and philosophy. It is also notable for its use of humor and satire, which are unusual in Plato's writing.SOCRATES: O Menexenus! Death in battle is certainly in many respects a noble thing. The dead man gets a fine and costly funeral, although he may have been poor, and an elaborate speech is made over him by a wise man who has long ago prepared what he has to say, although he who is praised may not have been good for much. The speakers praise him for what he has done and for what he has not done.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

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