Thucydides (Socrates)

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Thucydides ( Greek  Θουκυδίδης Thukydídēs ; * around 439 BC) was a grandson of the oligarchic -minded Athenian politician Thucydides and a student of the famous philosopher Socrates .

The family came from the Alopeke demos . The politician Thucydides, who can be distinguished from the historian of the same name , was, as a representative of the oligarchic tendency, a distinguished opponent of the democratically-minded statesman Pericles . He was defeated in the dispute and had to go into exile. His son Melesias had a son, the younger Thucydides, to whom - following a common custom - he named his grandfather. When the younger Thucydides was about fifteen years old, Melesias looked for a competent teacher for him and chose Socrates, who also came from Alopeke. This decision was made during an encounter that Plato describes in his Laches dialogue . The younger Thucydides, who was among those present in Laughs , but only had a very brief word, had already valued Socrates earlier and spoke of him with admiration. Melesias, who had hardly made a name for himself in public life, hoped that his son would emulate his grandfather of the same name and become famous like him if he received encouraging lessons. However, Socrates initially hesitated to grant Melesias's request and denied his special competence in carrying out the educational mission.

Apparently the younger Thucydides stayed with Socrates for a long time. In the dialogue attributed to Plato Theages , the authenticity of which is disputed, it is said that Thucydides quarreled with Socrates; he is said to have appeared arrogant towards his teacher.

literature

  • Debra Nails: The People of Plato. A Prosopography of Plato and Other Socratics . Hackett, Indianapolis 2002, ISBN 0-87220-564-9 , p. 292 (and family tree p. 291)
  • John S. Traill: Persons of Ancient Athens , Volume 9: Th- to Iōoana-. Athenians, Toronto 2000, ISBN 0-9685232-1-8 , p. 316 (No. 515455; compilation of the documents)

Remarks

  1. ↑ Plato, Laches 180e – 181a.
  2. ↑ Plato, Laches 200c – 201c.
  3. ↑ Theages 130a-b.
personal data
SURNAME Thucydides
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Pupil of Socrates
DATE OF BIRTH 5th century BC Chr.
DATE OF DEATH 5th century BC BC or 4th century BC Chr.