When Athenians suffered the shame of having lost a war from their own greed and foolishness, around 404 BCE the public's blame was directed at Socrates, a man whose unique appearance and behavior, as well as his disapproval of the democracy, made him a ready target. Socrates was subsequently put on trial and sentenced to death. However, as Rene Girard has pointed out, no individual can be held responsible for a communal crisis. Plato's Apology depicts Socrates as both the bane and the cure of Greek society, while his Crito shows a sacrificial Socrates, what some might consider a pharmakos figure, the human drug through whom Plato can dispense his philosophical remedies. With tremendous insight and satisfying complexity, this book analyses classical texts through the lens of Girard's mimetic mechanism.

About the Author
Wm. Blake Tyrrell is Distinguished Professor of Classics at Michigan State University, USA.


Book Information
ISBN 9781611860542
Author Wm. Blake Tyrrell
Format Paperback
Page Count 370
Imprint Michigan State University Press
Publisher Michigan State University Press
Weight(grams) 295g