Aither 14/2015:84-99 | DOI: 10.5507/aither.2015.016

Homer and Hesiod in Plato's Dialogues

Veronika Konrádová

Univerzita Jana Evangelisty Purkyně v Ústí nad Labem

The theme of the article is Plato's interaction with the poetic heritage represented in the works of the two great epic writers, Homer and Hesiod. The text is based on a broader reference to the funding role of the poetic tradition in the socio-cultural horizon of ancient Greece and it focuses closely on Plato's multilateral coping with this tradition. In this context, the article analyzes mainly the implicit thematization of poetry present throughout the Platonic corpus in the form of numerous quotations, paraphrases, allusions or intertext references. The first part of the article demonstrates Plato's differentiated treatment of poetic material complying with a broader spectrum of his authorial intentions. The second part compares the presence of Homeric and Hesiodic references and shows how subtly Plato works with these references in the frames of his dialogue strategy. Selected examples point out specific functions that these references perform in the dramatic layout of the Platonic dialogues. The conclusion highlights the extent to which this differentiated treatment of the poetic material corresponds to the more general features of contemporary reception of Homer and Hesiod.

Published: September 30, 2015  Show citation