Ellis, Anthony (2016). A Socratic History: Theology and Didacticism in Xenophon’s Rewriting of Herodotus’ Croesus Logos. Journal of hellenic studies, 136, pp. 73-91. Cambridge University Press 10.1017/S0075426916000069
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This article examines Xenophon's rewriting of Herodotus’ Croesus logos (Hdt. 1.6–91) in the Cyropaedia (Cyr. 7.2), focusing on the very different role of the divine in the two narratives. Through a comparison with Xenophon's Memorabilia and several Platonic dialogues, I argue that Xenophon's retelling attempts to bring Herodotus’ Croesus logos in line with his own ‘Socratic’ theology and his pedagogical goals, and in doing so performatively rejects Herodotus’ vision of the role of the gods in historical causation. The Cyropaedia is, I argue, the first extant text in the Greek historiographical tradition which attempts to present divine justice and philanthropy as the central forces in the historical process, and the first in a long series of critical engagements with Herodotus’ theology.
Item Type: |
Journal Article (Original Article) |
|---|---|
Division/Institute: |
06 Faculty of Humanities > Department of Linguistics and Literary Studies > Institute of Classical Philology |
UniBE Contributor: |
Ellis, Anthony |
Subjects: |
800 Literature, rhetoric & criticism 400 Language 100 Philosophy > 180 Ancient, medieval & eastern philosophy |
ISSN: |
0075-4269 |
Publisher: |
Cambridge University Press |
Language: |
English |
Submitter: |
Boschetti Anthony Ellis |
Date Deposited: |
06 Feb 2023 13:41 |
Last Modified: |
06 Feb 2023 23:28 |
Publisher DOI: |
10.1017/S0075426916000069 |
BORIS DOI: |
10.48350/178118 |
URI: |
https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/178118 |
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