Publication Details

Abstract

The paper deals with an ambiguous character of ancient testimonies about Aeschines of Sphettus, who belongs to the first generation of Socrates՚ followers and the eldest authors of the Socratic dialogues. Aeschines is portrayed in these testimonies both as an author and a plagiarist, as a Socratic and a pretender. The paper tries to show that the key to understanding this ambiguity could be Alcibiades՚ character in Aeschines՚ dialogue of the same name in which Alcibiades is depicted as a student who can become better only when he is in company with his teacher. Without this company he is defeated by his own passions.