The Hemlock Cup - Bettany Hughes [240]
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Priest of nonsense: playing with fire
1 Libanius Apology, 154–5. This refutes the lost pamphlet Accusation Against Socrates, published in 393/2 BC by Polycrates.
2 For a full discussion of the Derveni Manuscript, see Richard Janko, passim, in Ahbel-Rappe and Kamtekar (eds.) (2006), Ch.34, 56–7.
3 See Sir Kenneth Dover, Aristophanes’ Frogs (OUP, 1997) for the suggestion that this story bears relation to Socrates’ own trial.
4 Xenophon, Hellenica, 2.2.9, and Plutarch, Lysis, 14.4.
5 Aristophanes, Birds, 1072–5. Trans. J. Henderson (2000).
6 Aristophanes, Birds, 1420. Trans. J. Henderson (2000).
7 Rumbles of discontent as early as the invasion of Samos back in 440 BC seemed to suggest that the most stand-out of Pericles’ circle of intellectuals were, somehow, creating hardships on the ground for ordinary Athenians. Damon (the composer), Anaxagoras (the natural philosopher) and Pheidias (the architect and sculptor) found themselves under fire throughout the 430s. Aspasia was charged with asebeia – impiety. Many more were ostracised and exiled.
8 Diogenes Laertius, Life of Protagoras, 9.51. See also trans. C. D. Yonge (1853): ‘Concerning the Gods, I am not able to know for certain whether they exist or whether they do not. For there are many things which prevent one from knowing, especially the obscurity of the subject, and the shortness of the life of man’ [adapt.].
9 Euripides, Bacchae, 200.
10 Thucydides, 6.31.1. Trans. C. F. Smith (1919) [adapt.].
11 Cat. no. 752.
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Sicily
1 Trans. P. Vellacott (1973).
2 My thanks to Dr Moreno for alerting me to unexcavated sites on the high ground of Euboea. See Moreno (2001) and Moreno (2009).
3 Themistocles had pointed the way in his putative campaign.
4 Thucydides, 6.31.4. Trans. R. Warner (1972).
5 Aristophanes, Lysistrata, 390–7; Plutarch, Nicias, 13.7.
6 Agora 1 7307.
7 See Plutarch, Alcibiades, 22.4, for impeachment, including confiscation of property and cursing by priests: ‘… His case went by default, his property was confiscated, and besides that, it was also decreed that his name should be publicly cursed by all priests and priestesses.’ Trans. B. Perrin (1916) [LCL].
8 Vt. Marc. 41, in R. Janko, ‘Socrates the Freethinker’, in Ahbel-Rappe and Kamtekar (eds.) (2006), 60.
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Rivers of blood
1 Trans. R. Warner (1972).
2 Diodorus Siculus, Universal Library, 13.19.
3 Euripides, Phoenician Women, 1410–15. Trans. G. Murray (1913).
4 Xenophon, Anabasis 2.5.33. Trans. C. L. Brownson (1922) [adapt.], [LCL]
5 Samons, What’s Wrong With Democracy, 53 n. 59. Oaths of Loyalty, IGi 39, 40 = Fornara 102, 103; oath ‘to love’ the demos: IG I 37 = ML 47 = Fornara 99.
6 The real, awful drama of the moment inspired Plato to set one of his dramatic Socratic Dialogues, Ion, before the news hits Athens.
7 Cf Heraclides of Clazomenae: who proposes the increase in assembly pay from 1 obol to 2 obols, c.400–395 since there had been a further increase to 3 obols by the time of Aristophanes’ Ecclesiazusae, in the late 390s (Ath. Pol. 41. iii, Ar. Eccl. 289–311, 392), so he must have been made an Athenian citizen by then; and at some time he served as general (Plat. Ion 541 D 1–4, Ath. XI. 560 A, Ael, V.H. XIV. 5). The surviving part of the inscription (M&L 70=IG i3 227 with addenda) records his being awarded honours less than citizenship, and therefore earlier, probably in connection with the alleged Peace of Epilycus between Athens and Persia c.423.
8 Plato, Ion, 541c–d. Trans. T. J. Saunders (1987).
9 Aristophanes, Birds, 1277–83. Trans. A. H. Sommerstein (1987). Nb Birds was presented in 414 BC.
10 Aristophanes, Birds, 1553–5. Trans. A. H. Sommerstein.
11 Aristophanes, Frogs, 1431–3.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Decelea – closing down the mines
1 For a full account of this episode, see Hughes (2005), Ch. 6, ‘The Rape of “Fair Hellen” ’, and notes, passim.
2 Plutarch, Alcibiades, 15.1. Thucydides, 7.91.6.
3 In Athens itself in 411 BC a coup put 400 oligarchs in power – one of the first things they