Plato's ambiguous relationship with Homer is well known, but his engagement with Hesiod, the ‘second poet’ of ancient Greece, has been less systematically explored. Hesiod, however, is of particular importance to Plato, not least as a reference-point for the didactic tradition quite generally, and the sophists in particular; he is a major source of imagery at crucial moments in Plato's thought. This volume presents fifteen studies addressing this issue, from a wide variety of thematic angles. Some look at Plato's view of Hesiod in general, some at Hesiod's presence in particular dialogues. Tog ... More

Plato's ambiguous relationship with Homer is well known, but his engagement with Hesiod, the ‘second poet’ of ancient Greece, has been less systematically explored. Hesiod, however, is of particular importance to Plato, not least as a reference-point for the didactic tradition quite generally, and the sophists in particular; he is a major source of imagery at crucial moments in Plato's thought. This volume presents fifteen studies addressing this issue, from a wide variety of thematic angles. Some look at Plato's view of Hesiod in general, some at Hesiod's presence in particular dialogues. Together they bring new light, both to the philosophy of Classical Athens, and to the reception of archaic poetry in the 4th century BC.