Xenophon on Educating Men to Virtue

In her introduction, Prof. Thomas (Mercer University), notes that Xenophon (430-354 BC) was “For centuries. . . a central figure in classical education, and then for much of the twentieth century he was hardly read at all,” and then points out that there has been a revival of interest in him in recent decades.

This collection of eight essays by several scholars concentrates on Xenophon’s writings about education, morality, self-control, and personal freedom.

Five of the eight papers address various aspects of Xenophon’s Education of Cyrus, a largely fictionalized look at the Persian king’s upbring, essentially an exposition of what Xenophon thought were best means of educating men to virtue.

Of the remaining essays, one looks at Xenophon as an historian, comparing him with the better known Thucydides, whose history of the conflict between Athens and Sparta he more or less continued with his Hellenica. The two final papers deal with philosophical and political ideas found in Xenophon’s Memorabilia and his Symposium.

Though none of the papers address possible lessons in leadership and morality in Xenophon’s greatest work, The Anabasis, Governing Oneself and Others is a worthwhile read for those seriously interested in Hellenic society in the “Golden Age.”

---///---

StrategyPage reviews are published in cooperation with The New York Military Affairs Symposium

www.nymas.org