Xenophon on Socrates: Memorabilia

This lovely, albeit challenging, book by Xenophon opens new pathways into Greek history and culture that I want to explore.

First of all, Xenophon, a significant writer, philosopher, statesman, general and historian that I somehow completely missed during my original study of ancient Greece.  I've heard of him, of course, but simply by reading his short bio on the dust jacket informs me of his incredibly important influence.  

I've since downloaded his complete works, and plan to delve into a number of them before long.  Perhaps starting his Hellenica, which picks up the story of the Peloponnesian War exactly where Thucydides left off, continuing through to 362BC.  Also the Anabasis.  And I'm sure I will read others, including perhaps a modern biography on Xenophon.

Second, the life, teachings and impact of Socrates.  Although Plato voiced much of his philosophical writings through Socrates (in a fictional sense, not necessarily historical), Memorabilia (translated as Recollections about Socrates) represents Xenophon's actual memories of his time with Socrates.  The book is a historical account of the man told from a first person perspective, something quite rare.  

And although some of it is not easy to understand, so much of it is significantly more accessible than Plato's writings or other primary works of Greek philosophers.  

Xenophon not only defends Socrates against the charges that ultimately led to his suicide, the impression he leaves you with is little short of sainthood.  It's hard to imagine a man more honorable, more beneficial for the state and the individuals with whom he came into direct contact than Xenophon's Socrates.

I finish with this quote, which struck me as an example of Socrates' disarmingly simple, yet instructive logic, told through story.  Plus, I love dogs.

And Socrates said, "Then you aren't telling them the speech of the dog.  For they say that, when the animals could speak, the ewe said to her master, 'You do an astonishing thing in giving us, who provide you with wool and lambs and cheese, nothing other than what we ourselves get from the earth, while you give the dog, who provides you with nothing of the sort, a share of your very own food.'

And that when the dog heard this he said, 'Yes, by Zeus, for I am the one who in fact saves you sheep so that you are neither stolen by human beings nor seized by wolves, since indeed if I were not to guard over you, you would not even be able to graze out of fear that you might perish.'  It is said that then even the flocks acquiesced in the dog's being preferred in honor.

Memorabilia by Xenophon, Book II, Chapter 7, Paragraphs 13-14