Why Socrates Died

Resumen del libro

Socrates' trial and death together form an iconic moment in Western civilization. The picture we have of it - created by his immediate followers and perpetuated in countless works of literature and art ever since - is that a noble man was put to death in a fit of folly by the ancient Athenian democracy. But an icon, an image, is not reality.

The trial was, in part, a response to troubled times - a catastrophic war and turbulent social changes - and so provides a good lens through which to explore the history of the period; the historical facts allow us to strip away some of the veneer that has for so long denied us glimpses of the real Socrates. Written by a scholar, but not only for scholars, this is an accessible, authoritative account of one of the defining periods of Western civilization.

Biografía del autor

Robin Waterfield es uno de los más prestigiosos helenistas de la actualidad. Además de traductor de referencia de Platón en lengua inglesa, forma parte del comité de expertos del Plato's Academy Centre de Atenas, donde reside, y ha publicado ensayos divulgativos sobre la Antigua Grecia como 'La retirada de Jenofonte', 'La muerte de Sócrates' o 'La guerra por el imperio de Alejandro Magno'.