Euthydemos (Sophist)

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Euthydemus was a sophist who appeared at the time of Socrates (* 469 BC; † 399 BC) in Athens together with his brother Dionysodorus and offered his lessons. His exact life dates are not known.

Life

He originally came from Chios , an island off the coast of Asia Minor, south of Lesbos , but was then - as Plato reports - probably through an emigration of his parents to Thurioi , a 443 BC. Chr. From Athens newly founded colony in southern Italy on the Gulf of Taranto . From there he apparently had to flee as a youth together with his brother Dionysodorus and came to Athens (probably around 430 BC) .

There Euthydemus earned his living initially as a teacher in the art of fencing and in the military. He also worked successfully as a lawyer who represented clients in court and wrote speeches for them. From this exercise he became a teacher of rhetoric and a sophist , someone who is masterly able to "argue in conversation and refute what is said every time, whether it is false or true".

Euthydemus also claimed to be able to teach virtue . His brother Dionysodorus made a name for himself above all as a teacher of the "military art" and the military.

effect

Socrates was so impressed by the reputation of the two brothers that he saw them as a worthwhile object of his " midwifery " and subjected their doctrine of virtue and their understanding of justice to a critical examination. In his dialogue with Euthydemos, Plato reports one of these meetings; also Xenophon mentions in his "Memories of Socrates" ( "Memorabilia", Book III, 1) the Sophists Dionysodorus the brother of Euthydemus. It becomes clear that both can only imperfectly fulfill the promises they make.

The Euthydemos mentioned several times in the "Memorabilia" is about another person of the same name, a young student of Socrates.

swell

• Plato: Euthydemus . In: Plato: Complete Works. Volume 2, Rowohlt, Hamburg 1957
• Xenophon: memories of Socrates . Reclam, Stuttgart 2005

literature

• Karl Lüddecke: The question of the authenticity and time of writing of Euthydemus . Grofsgebauer, Celle 1897 urn : nbn: de: hbz: 061: 1-126611 }