Apology (Xenophon)

The Apology (in full Apology of Socrates to the jury; Greek: Ἀπολογία Σωκράτους πρὸς τοὺς Δικαστάς) is a Socratic dialogue by Xenophon, a student of Socrates. It recounts Socrates' self-defense at his trial and execution, focusing prominently on his view that it was better to die before senility set in than to escape execution by humbling himself before an unjust persecution. It is the only surviving primary account of the trial other than Plato's Apology.

History

Specialists believe that Xenophon's interpretation of the trial was written in response to a widespread literary reaction following the trial, where Athenian public figures and authors used the theme of Socrates's trial to state their views on his guilt. Xenophon presents his account as being the only one of them that made Socrates' "boastful manner of speaking" (megalēgoria) at the trial understandable. Xenophon was away at the time of the events, involved in the events of the march of the Ten Thousand. He cites Hermogenes as his source for the factual elements of Socrates' speech. It is probable that Hermogenes had indeed witnessed the trial: although Plato's Apology does not mention his presence, his Phaedo lists Hermogenes among those who were present at Socrates' death.

Xenophon

Xenophon (/ˈzɛnəfən, -ˌfɒn/; Greek: Ξενοφῶν [ksenopʰɔ̂ːn], Xenophōn; c. 430 – 354 BC), son of Gryllus, of the deme Erchia of Athens, also known as Xenophon of Athens, was a Greek historian, soldier, mercenary, and student of Socrates. While not referred to as a philosopher by his contemporaries, his status as such is now a topic of debate. He is known for writing about the history of his own times, the late 5th and early 4th centuries BC, especially for his account of the final years of the Peloponnesian War. His Hellenica, which recounts these times, is considered to be the continuation of Thucydides’ History of the Peloponnesian War. His youthful participation in the failed campaign of Cyrus the Younger to claim the Persian throne inspired him to write his most famous work, Anabasis.

Xenophon (son of Euripides)

Xenophon, son of Euripides, was one of the Athenian generals to whom Potidaea surrendered. Later in the same year (429 BC) Xenophon and two other generals led an expedition against the Chalcideans and Bottiaeans at the Battle of Spartolos, but were compelled to retreat into Potidaea

References

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Smith, William, ed. (1870). "^{article name needed}". Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology. 

Xenophon (crater)

Xenophon is a small lunar crater that lies across the southern rim of the walled plain Fermi, to the west of the crater Tsiolkovskiy. South of Xenophon is Zhiritskiy F, a satellite crater of Zhiritskiy to the south-southwest.

The rim of this crater is eroded and crossed by several tiny craterlets, especially along the western edge. The interior floor is relatively featureless. This crater is located on the far side of the Moon and cannot be seen directly from the Earth.

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