Philosophy

Hiero - Is the life of a tyrant perferable to a private life? A Discourse on Despotic Rule This is the original text, and a relevant work by Leo Strauss can be found here. Xenophon’s Hiero is devoted entirely to a discussion on tyranny, and quite akin to many of his works, demonstrate his interest in describing leadership, and the qualities that are essential for this purpose. The text is a mostly, almost, deceptively simple dialogue between a somewhat disturbed Hieron, tyrant of Syracuse, who, in a moment of leisure, engages in coversation with the poet, Simonides. Simonides asks Hieron to use his experience to shed light on the difference between the life of a ‘private man’, and that of a tyrant. ...

Here is a collection of my notes from The History of Philosophy by A.C. Grayling. These notes were taken in the summer of 2024.