Plato and the Tyrant : Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty James Romm BRAND NEW
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Plato and the Tyrant : Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty James Romm BRAND NEW
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eBay item number:205581955661
Item specifics
- Condition
- Country/Region of Manufacture
- Greece
- ISBN
- 9781324093183
About this product
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Norton & Company, Incorporated, w. w.
ISBN-10
1324093188
ISBN-13
9781324093183
eBay Product ID (ePID)
17071321188
Product Key Features
Book Title
Plato and the Tyrant : The Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece
Number of Pages
368 Pages
Language
English
Topic
Philosophers, Ancient / Greece, Political
Publication Year
2025
Illustrator
Yes
Genre
Philosophy, Biography & Autobiography, History
Format
Hardcover
Dimensions
Item Height
0.1 in
Item Weight
22.1 Oz
Item Length
0.9 in
Item Width
0.6 in
Additional Product Features
Intended Audience
Trade
Dewey Edition
23
Reviews
Plato's vision of a just society has inspired the world for centuries, yet his own attempt to put his ideas into practice ended in failure and disgrace. With this learned yet accessible account of the philosopher's misadventures in politics, James Romm asks a question that remains all too relevant today: Is it possible for thought to prevail over tyranny?, Written with sparkling wit and intelligence, this book will change the way you think about the ancient world's greatest philosopher., [A]s compelling as any novel... brilliant... Romm does a superb job of imaginatively reconstructing the backstory to a philosophical masterpiece., James Romm has taken a little-known episode from ancient Greek history--the somewhat shady-sounding relationship between Plato and the tyrants of Syracuse--and developed it into a fascinating, richly detailed narrative. I may yet have to read the Republic., [E]xcellent...a deft and engaging work of history, philosophy and biography, as well as a meta-commentary on the perils of regarding canonical thinkers as disembodied minds... Plato and the Tyrant is full of something that I do not readily associate with the distinguished poster child of Western philosophy: gossip and intrigue. The story of Plato's stint in Syracuse is as rife with human interest as any melodrama... a kind of intellectual thriller: Romm's interpretive pyrotechnics demonstrate the extent to which the work of the scholar can resemble that of the detective, [A] finely sifted story...includes abundant historical and social context...Mr. Romm's portrait of Plato as a scheming, often bumbling political player will be intriguingly new to most readers., With incisive historical expertise and a bold new perspective on long-disputed Platonic correspondence, James Romm elucidates Plato's notorious leap of faith from the realm of theory into the real world of politics.
Dewey Decimal
184
Synopsis
"[E]xcellent . . . a deft and engaging work of history, philosophy and biography . . . a kind of intellectual thriller." --Becca Rothfeld, Washington Post From an eminent historian and classicist, an incisive portrait of the philosopher Plato, showing how the ideas in his masterwork, Republic, were tested by violent events in the most powerful Greek city of the era., From an eminent historian and classicist, an incisive portrait of the philosopher Plato, showing how the ideas in his masterwork, Republic, were tested by violent events in the most powerful Greek city of the era., Plato is one of history's most influential thinkers, the "sublime philosopher" whose writings remain foundational to Western culture. He is known for the brilliant dialogues in which he depicted his teacher, Socrates, discussing ethical truths with prominent citizens of Athens. Yet the image we have of Plato-an ethereal figure far removed from society and politics, who conjured abstract ideas in peaceful groves-is a fiction, created by Plato's admirers and built up over centuries. In fact, Plato was very much a man of the world. In Plato and the Tyrant, acclaimed historian and classicist James Romm draws on personal letters of Plato-documents that have long been kept in obscurity-to show how a philosopher helped topple the leading Greek power of the era: the opulent city of Syracuse. There, Plato encountered two authoritarian rulers, a father and son both named Dionysius, and tried to steer them toward philosophy. At the same time, he worked on his masterpiece, Republic, in which he conceived a ruler who unites perfect wisdom with absolute power. That dream has echoed down through the ages and given rise to a famous term, one that Plato himself didn't actually use: philosopher-king. As Romm reveals, Plato's time in Syracuse helped shape Republic-and also had disastrous results for Plato himself and for all of Greek Sicily. The younger Dionysius, emotionally unstable but intellectually curious, welcomed Plato with open arms, but soon the relationship soured. Plato's close friendship with Dionysius's uncle, Dion-possibly a bond of romantic love-created a rift in the ruling family that led to a chaotic civil war. Combining thrilling political drama with explorations of Plato's most cherished ideas, Romm takes us into the heart of Greece's late classical age, a time when many believed that democracy had failed. Plato's search for solutions led him to write his fervent plea for a new political order, and also led him to a place where he believed his theories might be put into practice. But Plato and the Tyrant demonstrates how Plato's experiment with enlightened autocracy spiraled into catastrophe, and also gives us nothing less than a new account of the origins of Western political thought.
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- i***m (1241)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseas described, excellent condition of the book, great ebay seller, condition like new, just arrived today so I have not had a chance to read it yet. fast delivery wit exceptional packaging to protect the item while in transit.
- r***i (1000)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseItem was just as described, shipping was fast and communication with easy. Good price for the book. It was packed well. I will buy from again!!
- e***2 (39)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchasePleasant seller to deal with. Great communication. Seller answered a question I had very quickly. My package arrived very fast and the item arrived in great condition! Would do business with again. Thank you!
- i***m (1241)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseas described, excellent condition of the book, great ebay seller, condition like new, just arrived today so I have not had a chance to read it yet. fast delivery wit exceptional packaging to protect the item while in transit.
Seller feedback (1,352)
This item (1)
All items (1,352)
- i***m (1241)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseas described, excellent condition of the book, great ebay seller, condition like new, just arrived today so I have not had a chance to read it yet. fast delivery wit exceptional packaging to protect the item while in transit.
- r***i (1000)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchaseItem was just as described, shipping was fast and communication with easy. Good price for the book. It was packed well. I will buy from again!!
- e***2 (39)- Feedback left by buyer.Past 6 monthsVerified purchasePleasant seller to deal with. Great communication. Seller answered a question I had very quickly. My package arrived very fast and the item arrived in great condition! Would do business with again. Thank you!
- i***m (1241)- Feedback left by buyer.Past monthVerified purchaseas described, excellent condition of the book, great ebay seller, condition like new, just arrived today so I have not had a chance to read it yet. fast delivery wit exceptional packaging to protect the item while in transit.