Synopses & Reviews
Socrates' trial and death together form an iconic moment in Western civilization. In 399 BCE, the great philosopher stood before an Athenian jury on serious charges: impiety and "subverting the young men of the city." The picture we have of it--created by his immediate followers, Plato and Xenophon, and perpetuated in countless works of literature and art ever since--is of a noble man putting his lips to the poisonous cup of hemlock, sentenced to death in a fit of folly by an ancient Athenian democracy already fighting for its own life. But an icon, an image, is not reality, and time has transmuted so many of the facts into historical fable. Aware of these myths, Robin Waterfield has examined the actual Greek sources and presents here a new Socrates, in which he separates the legend from the man himself. As Waterfield recounts the story, the charges of impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens were already enough for a death sentence, but the prosecutors accused him of more. They asserted that Socrates was not just an atheist and the guru of a weird sect but also an elitist who surrounded himself with politically undesirable characters and had mentored those responsible for defeat in the Peloponnesian War. Their claims were not without substance, for Plato and Xenophon, among Socrates' closest companions, had idolized him as students, while Alcibiades, the hawkish and notoriously self-serving general, had brought Athens to the brink of military disaster. In fact, as Waterfield perceptively shows through an engrossing historical narrative, there was a great deal of truth, from an Athenian perspective, in these charges. The trial was, in part, a response to troubled times--Athens was reeling from a catastrophic war and undergoing turbulent social changes--and Socrates' companions were unfortunately direct representatives of these troubles. Their words and actions, judiciously sifted and placed in proper context, not only serve to portray Socrates as a flesh-and-blood historical figure but also provide a good lens through which to explore both the trial and the general history of the period. Ultimately, the study of these events and principal figures allows us to finally strip away the veneer that has for so long denied us glimpses of the real Socrates. is an illuminating, authoritative account of not only one of the defining periods of Western civilization but also of one of its most defining figures.
Review
"A thorough and fascinating account of the democratic process of lawmaking and justice in Athens....[a] learned book in clear, concise prose." Stewart Desmond
Review
"From the author of comes this fascinating study of the history behind the case against Socrates. A useful glossary, bibliography, and extensive notes complete this fine work. A real page-turner." Library Journal
Review
"Starred Review. Impressive scholarship redefining an iconic event." Ann Oughton Historical Novels Review
Review
"Starred Review. Of the many introductory studies on the Athenian judicial system, the trial of Socrates, the conflict between Athens and Sparta and the reasons that democracy gave way to oligarchy in Athens, this is among the clearest, most well-organized and most concise." Bryce Christensen Booklist
Synopsis
In the spring of 399 BCE, Socrates stood trial in his native Athens. The court was packed, and after being found guilty by his peers, Socrates died by drinking a cup of the poison hemlock, a defining moment in ancient civilization. Yet time has transmuted the facts into a fable. Aware of these myths, Robin Waterfield has examined the actual Greek sources and presents a new Socrates, not an atheist or the guru of a weird sect, but a deeply moral thinker whose convictions stood in stark relief to those of his former disciple, Alcibiades, the hawkish and self-serving military leader. Refusing to surrender his beliefs even in the face of death, Socrates, as Waterfield reveals, was determined to save a country that was tearing itself apart, one in moral decline.
Why Socrates Diedis not only a powerful revisionist book but also a work whose insights translate clearly from ancient Athens to modern America.
Synopsis
Aware of these myths, Robin Waterfield has examined the actual Greek sources and presents here a new Socrates, in which he separates the legend from the man himself. As Waterfield recounts the story, the charges of impiety and corrupting the youth of Athens were already enough for a death sentence, but the prosecutors accused him of more. They asserted that Socrates was not just an atheist and the guru of a weird sect but also an elitist who surrounded himself with politically undesirable characters and had mentored those responsible for defeat in the Peloponnesian War. Their claims were not without substance, for Plato and Xenophon, among Socrates closest companions, had idolized him as students, while Alcibiades, the hawkish and notoriously self-serving general, had brought Athens to the brink of military disaster. In fact, as Waterfield perceptively shows through an engrossing historical narrative, there was a great deal of truth, from an Athenian perspective, in these charges The trial was, in part, a response to troubled times Athens was reeling from a catastrophic war and undergoing turbulent social changes and Socrates companions were unfortunately direct representatives of these troubles. Their words and actions, judiciously sifted and placed in proper context, not only serve to portray Socrates as a flesh-and-blood historical figure but also provide a good lens through which to explore both the trial and the general history of the period Ultimately, the study of these events and principal figures allows us to finally strip away the veneer that has for so long denied us glimpses of the real Socrates.Why Socrates Died is an illuminating, authoritative account of not only one of the defining periods of Western civilization but also of one of its most defining figures. "
Synopsis
A revisionist account of one of the most famous trials in Western civilization, "Why Socrates Died" is a work whose insights translate clearly from ancient Athens to modern America.
Synopsis
In the spring of 399 BCE, Socrates stood trial in his native Athens. The court was packed, and after being found guilty by his peers, Socrates died by drinking a cup of the poison hemlock. But, Robin Waterfield asks in this provocative reinterpretation of one of the most famous court cases in world history, is this the whole story? Examining not only the actual records but placing Socrates in the historical context of an Athenian society in a state of moral decline, Waterfield provides a gripping portrait of our most enduring philosopher. Praise for Robin Waterfield's : "An excellent book. Robin Waterfield writes very well, in a style that is accessible and sophisticated."--Barry Strauss, Cornell University, author of "A timeless story as well as a vivid tale of its times."-- magazine
Synopsis
A revisionist account of the most famous trial and execution in Western civilization--one with great resonance for American society today.
About the Author
Robin Waterfield, whose many translations include works by Plato, Plutarch, and Aristotle, currently resides on a farm in Greece. His career spans both academia and publishing.