| Author |
Xenophon, 432 BCE-351? BCE |
| Translator |
Dakyns, Henry Graham, 1838-1911 |
| Title |
Hiero
|
| Note |
Reading ease score: 76.6 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
|
| Credits |
Produced by John Bickers, and David Widger
|
| Summary |
"Hiero by Xenophon" is an imagined dialogue that falls under the category of philosophical discourse, specifically concerning political theory and ethics. Written in the late 5th century BC, the book features a conversation between Simonides, a notable poet, and Hieron, the tyrant of Syracuse. The primary topic of the text is an exploration of the nature of tyranny and the contrasting experiences of a despot versus an ordinary citizen, particularly in terms of happiness, pleasure, and societal relationships. In this dialogue, Hieron expresses his belief that the life of a tyrant is filled with more pain and fewer pleasures compared to that of ordinary people, a surprising assertion given the common misconceptions about the life of a ruler. The conversation elaborates on various sources of joy and sorrow, including friendship, trust, the burdens of political power, and the constant threat of betrayal. Simonides challenges Hieron's perspective by asserting that a ruler’s status should bring greater gratitude and affection from subjects, to which Hieron counters that his tyranny breeds fear rather than genuine respect. Ultimately, the text reflects on the complexities and contradictions of despotic rule, leading to a deeper understanding of what it truly means to lead and how personal connections are fundamentally altered by the nature of power. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature
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| Subject |
Classical literature
|
| Subject |
Hieron I, Tyrant of Syracuse, -467 B.C. or 466 B.C.
|
| Subject |
Simonides, approximately 556 B.C.-467 B.C.
|
| Subject |
Dialogues, Greek -- Translations into English
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| Subject |
Despotism -- Early works to 1800
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| Subject |
Syracuse (Italy) -- Politics and government -- Early works to 1800
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
1175 |
| Release Date |
Jan 1, 1998 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jan 16, 2013 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
360 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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