Kleitophone

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kleitophon ( Greek Κλειτοφῶν Kleitophōn ), the son of Aristonymos, was an Athenian politician of the late 5th century BC. He belonged to the moderate oligarchic tendency and played a role in the preparation of the oligarchic constitutional amendment of the year 411 BC. Chr.

Political activity

The activity of Kleitophons in the politics of his hometown first appeared in 411 BC. BC (probably early May) attested. He participated in the oligarchical overthrow movement aimed at the abolition of democracy . In the people's assembly he supported the proposal of the oligarchic politician Pythodoros to set up a committee that should develop a concept for a reform of the state order. Kleitophon put forward the sub-motion that the committee should examine the extent to which the Kleisthenic reforms of the late 6th century BC are being addressed . Can fall back. Although the reforms of Kleisthenes had brought about a democratization at the time, in Kleitophon's view the Kleisthenic constitution of Athens was not radically democratic and therefore offered itself as a compromise solution for moderate democrats and moderate oligarchs. Kleitophon did not advocate the complete abolition of democracy, but only viewed the radical democracy that existed at the time as a mistake that was to be corrected by restoring previous conditions. The influence of the masses should be pushed back in favor of an oligarchic ruling class. What Kleitophon's motion in the popular assembly actually aimed at, whether it actually corresponded to his intentions or was just a propagandistic maneuver to appease the democrats, is disputed in research. Presumably, the reference to Kleisthenes was intended to ensure that the new constitution took into account the traditional orientation of Athens, i.e. did not lead to an extreme oligarchy, but preserved democratic elements.

The proposal to form the committee was accepted by the popular assembly. Kleitophon's suggestion, however, had no consequences for the further course of events; the committee ignored it.

Within the oligarchic movement, Kleitophon belonged to a moderate tendency, of which Theramenes was the main representative . This direction did not want to entrust the entire power to a very small group, but wanted a relatively broad support for the desired oligarchic rule. Kleitophon's position was even more moderate than that of Theramenes. During the negotiations on a new constitution after Athens surrendered to the Peloponnesian War in 404, he belonged with Archinos , Anytos and Phormisios to a group that advocated a connection between democratic and oligarchic elements and propagated this as a return to earlier conditions. Unlike Theramenes, Kleitophon was not involved in the rule of the Thirty , the exercise of power by a small group dominated by radical oligarchs from the summer of 404.

Literary reception

→ Main article: Kleitophon (dialogue)

Kleitophon was interested in philosophy. He was close to the sophistic educational movement, as can be deduced from a passage in Aristophanes' comedy Die Fösche, performed in 405 . There he is cited together with Theramenes as an example of a clever pragmatist. The identity of the oligarchic politician Kleitophon with the interlocutor of the same name in two fictional literary dialogues on philosophical topics is generally accepted in research.

In Plato's dialogue Politeia , Kleitophon appears as an adversary of Socrates . He took the floor for a moment and supported the position that the sophist Thrasymachus had set out earlier. Thrasymachos' opinion represents the opposite position to the concept of justice of Socrates. Kleitophon represents a consistently right-positivist view. He stands in even more sharp contrast to Socrates as Thrasymachus, who does not take up his argument. For Kleitophon justice consists in the fact that the weaker has to follow the will of the stronger, so that that which is to the advantage of the stronger can be realized. The stronger determines what is advantageous for him. What matters is what he thinks is advantageous; there is no distinction between what is believed to be advantageous and what is really advantageous.

In the other dialogue, Kleitophon himself is the title figure. The Kleitophon dialogue has come down to us among the works of Plato, but its authenticity is disputed and is rejected by most scholars of antiquity. The Kleitophon reproduces a conversation between Socrates and Kleitophon. Here Kleitophon appears as a dissatisfied student of Socrates, who explains to his teacher the reason why he wants to leave him and join Thrasymachus. Since Thrasymachus was known as a sharp opponent of the Socratic philosophy, it is a snub against Socrates. At the beginning of the dialogue it is reported that Kleitophon had dealings with Lysias and presented him with his criticism of Socrates.

In his work, Plutarch mentions Critias , Alcibiades and Kleitophon as examples of Socrates' students who turned away from his teachings and took a completely different direction in his work “On the luck or the bravery of Alexander (the Great)” .

literature

  • Luc Brisson : Clitophon . In: Richard Goulet (ed.): Dictionnaire des philosophes antiques , Vol. 2, CNRS Éditions, Paris 1994, ISBN 2-271-05195-9 , pp. 444-445
  • Herbert Heftner : The oligarchic overthrow of the year 411 BC And the rule of the four hundred in Athens. Source-critical and historical studies . Peter Lang, Frankfurt am Main 2001, ISBN 3-631-37970-6
  • Debra Nails: The People of Plato. A prosopography of Plato and other Socratics , Indianapolis 2002, ISBN 0-87220-564-9 , pp. 102f.
  • Martin Ostwald : From Popular Sovereignity to the Sovereignity of Law. Law, Society, and Politics in Fifth-Century Athens . University of California Press, Berkeley 1986, ISBN 0-520-054-26-1
  • John S. Traill: Persons of Ancient Athens , Volume 10: K- to Kōphos. Athenians, Toronto 2001, ISBN 0-9685232-2-6 , p. 434 (No. 576135; compilation of the documents)

Remarks

  1. ^ Martin Ostwald: From Popular Sovereignity to the Sovereignity of Law , Berkeley 1986, pp. 369-374, 406, 472; Simon R. Slings (Ed.): Plato: Clitophon , Cambridge 1999, p. 56; Herbert Heftner: The oligarchic overthrow of the year 411 BC And the rule of the four hundred in Athens , Frankfurt am Main 2001, pp. 130–141, 330f.
  2. ^ Herbert Heftner: The oligarchical overthrow of the year 411 BC. And the rule of the four hundred in Athens , Frankfurt am Main 2001, p. 135 and note 116.
  3. ↑ Peter Krentz: The Thirty at Athens , Ithaca 1982, pp. 44-48, 55; Simon R. Slings (Ed.): Plato: Clitophon , Cambridge 1999, pp. 56-58.
  4. ↑ Aristophanes, The Frogs 959–967. See Martin Ostwald: From Popular Sovereignity to the Sovereignity of Law , Berkeley 1986, p. 371; Debra Nails: The People of Plato , Indianapolis 2002, p. 102. See, however, Geoffrey S. Bowe: In Defense of Clitophon . In: Classical Philology 102, 2007, pp. 245–264, here: 252, who interprets the passage in Aristophanes differently.
  5. ↑ Plutarch, On the Fortune or Bravery of Alexander 328c.
personal data
SURNAME Kleitophone
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Athenian politician
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 5th century BC BC or 4th century BC Chr.