Xenophon is a famous ancient Greek writer, philosopher, historian, commander, politician. His work was highly valued by ancient rhetoricians, and it had a huge influence on Latin prose. Xenophon's main work is Anabasis Cyrus.

Xenophon was born in Athens around 444 BC. His family was wealthy and belonged to the equestrian class. His childhood and youth were spent in the context of the Peloponnesian War, but this did not prevent him from receiving wide general education along with the military man. From a young age he was a follower of Socrates.

After the Peloponnesian War was lost to Sparta in 404 BC, Xenophon left his homeland to join the expedition of Cyrus. After the death of Cyrus himself, Xenophon bravely and skillfully led the retreat of ten thousand Greeks through enemy territory. Xenophon completed the entire campaign - from the attack on Babylon and the Battle of Kunax, to the retreat through Armenia to Trebizond, and then to the West to Byzantium, Thrace and Pergamon. It was in Pergamon that Xenophon became one of the strategists of the Greek army. Since he became close to the Spartan king Agesilaus, and then went with him to Greece, in Athens he was convicted of high treason and his property was confiscated. Xenophon began to serve under the command of Agesilaus, took part in battles and campaigns against the enemies of Sparta - even against Athens. When the Spartans gave him a small estate near the Elisian city of Skillunta, he settled there in solitude and began to engage in literary works. During the struggle of the Thebans with Sparta, in 370 BC, he fled from Skillunta and settled in Corinth. Almost before his death, he began to communicate with his homeland, where the verdict on his exile was canceled.

Xenophon's biographer was Diogenes. All philosophical ideas of that time, as well as the teachings of Socrates - all of this had a slight influence on the philosopher. But this was quite clearly reflected in his religious views - they are, first of all, characterized by faith in the intervention of the gods in the affairs of people, as well as faith in all kinds of signs through which the gods communicate their will to mortals. True, Xenophon’s ethical views do not at all rise above conventional morality, but his political sympathies are completely on the side of the Spartan aristocratic state structure.

Xenophon died around 369 BC.

List of works by Xenophon

Historical: Anabasis, Greek History, Cyropaedia, Agesilaus.

Philosophical: “Memoirs of Socrates”, “Defense of Socrates at the Trial”, “Feast”, “Domostroy”, “Hieron”, Essays, “The Lacedaemonian Polity”, “The Athenian Polity” (actually, this is an anonymous work and does not belong to Xenophon, but it was mistakenly included in the corpus of his works in ancient times), “Revenues of the City of Athens”, “On the Cavalry”, “Hunting”, “Hipparchus”.

- (Xenophon) (born about 450 - died 354 BC) - ancient Greek. writer, historian, Athenian general and politician. In addition to historical books, he also wrote a number of philosophical ones. As a student of Socrates, he sought to give in a popular form... ... Philosophical Encyclopedia

Xenophon- Xenophon, son of Gryllus, Athenian, from the case of Erchia. He was extremely modest and extremely good-looking. They say that Socrates met him in a narrow alley, blocked his way with a staff and asked where he could buy such and such food? Having received... About the life, teachings and sayings of famous philosophers

A, husband. Report: Ksenofontovich, Ksenofontovna; decomposition Ksenofontych.Derivatives: Ksenofontushka; Xena (Ksenya); Senya; Fosha; Phone. Origin: (From the Greek xenos stranger, foreigner and phone voice.) Name day: February 8, July 11 Dictionary of personal names. Xenophon... ... Dictionary of personal names

XENOPHON- XENOPHON (Ξενοφῶν) (c. 445, Athens c. 355 BC, Corinth), student of Socrates, writer, historian and professional military man; author of “Memoirs of Socrates” and other Socratic works, which, along with Plato’s dialogues, are for us... ... Ancient philosophy

- (Xenophon, Ξενοφω̃ν). Greek historian and thinker, student of Socrates. Genus. around 444 BC and lived for more than 90 years. He took part in the campaign of Cyrus the Younger against Artaxerxes and, when Cyrus was killed at the Battle of Kunaxa, Xenophon took the lead... Encyclopedia of Mythology

Foreigner, foreigner Dictionary of Russian synonyms. xenophon noun, number of synonyms: 2 name (1104) historian ... Dictionary of synonyms

Xenophon, Xenophon, c. 430 approx. 355 BC e., Greek historian. The son of a wealthy Athenian Gryllus, a student of Socrates. In 401 he joined the army of Cyrus the Younger. He took part in the battle of Kunaxa, and after the death of Cyrus and the treacherous... ... Ancient writers

- (c. 430 355 or 354 BC), Greek writer and historian. Author of Greek history (in 7 books) exposition of the events of 411,362 BC from pro-Spartan and anti-democratic positions... Modern encyclopedia

- (c. 430 355 or 354 BC) ancient Greek writer and historian. The main historical work Greek history (in 7 books) a summary of the events of 411 362 BC. e. from pro-Spartan and anti-democratic positions... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (about 430,355 or 354 BC) ancient Greek writer and historian. Participated in the Corinthian War (395-387) on the side of Sparta. In Athens, sentenced in absentia to death penalty. Restored around 369 civil rights, but back home in... ... Historical Dictionary

Books

• Xenophon. Cyropaedia, Xenophon. 1976 edition. Among the Greek writers of the classical period (5th - 4th centuries BC) it is difficult to find another whose work was to such an extent determined by personal and social...
• Xenophon. Greek history. Xenophon of Athens is one of the remarkable authors of the Greek classical period. Consistent in his affections, remaining faithful to the principles he had once chosen all his life, he poured out his...

XENOPHON

Greek Xenophon

Xenophon. Athenian, born 430-425 in Athens, died after 355 BC. in Corinth, historian and writer, student of Socrates, who did not show deep interest in philosophy. Xenophon grew up among aristocrats who were hostile to Athenian slave-owning democracy and friendly to Sparta. Not satisfied with the political life of Athens, Xenophon took part in the campaign of Cyrus the Younger against Artaxerxes. After the defeat of Cyrus at Kunax in 401, Xenophon, together with the Spartan strategist, led the retreat of Cyrus's Greek mercenaries, who, after overcoming many difficulties and dangers, reached Thrace. Trying to get closer to the anti-democratic Sparta, Xenophon, as a comrade-in-arms of the admired king Agesilaus, accompanied him in the campaign 394 against Thebes, allied to Athens, and in the Battle of Coronea. For this, Xenophon was sentenced to exile in Athens and retired to an estate granted to him by the Spartans near Scylla (near Olympia). After Scyllus was occupied by the Eleans in 370, Xenophon fled to Corinth, where he died Historical works:“Anabasis” (“Kyru anabasis”) about the campaign of 10 thousand Greek mercenaries deep into the Persian state and their return journey to the Black Sea, describing the campaign (with exaggeration of his own merits), Xenophon reports interesting geographical and ethnographic information about Asia Minor and Transcaucasia, “ Greek History” (“Hellenika”) from 411 to the Battle of Mantinea in 362—a continuation of his historical work very far from Thucydides. Xenophon's attention is focused on great personalities. Wanting to elevate the political role of Sparta, Xenophon conveys many insignificant details of its history, while at the same time keeping silent about important events life of Athens (for example, about the founding of the 2nd Athenian Maritime League). Political writings:"Agesilaos" ("Agesilaos") - a panegyric to the Spartan king who died in 361, "Lakedaimonian Constitution" ("Lakedaimonion politeia") - a praise of the constitution of Lycurgus, in which Xenophon saw the basis of the greatness of Sparta, "Cyropedia", or "Education of Cyrus" (" Kyrupaideia"), is a tendentious pedagogical novel, where Xenophon, describing the life of Cyrus the Elder with poetic license, sets out his own thoughts on the education and upbringing of an ideal ruler. A similar theme - the art of being a monarch or a tyrant - is developed in the dialogue “Hieron”. Didactic essays Xenophon is devoted to economic issues “On income” (“Peri poron”) - a study of ways to improve the financial and tax systems in Athens, “Domostroy” (“Oikonomikos”) - advice on rational management household, treatises “On horseback riding” (“Peri hippikes”), “On hunting” (“Kynegetikos”, the authenticity of which is disputed), as well as “On the command of cavalry” (“Hipparchikos”) - advice on improving the Athenian cavalry. Socratic works: the main ones among them are “Memorabilia”, or “Memoirs of Socrates”, where, unlike Plato, who embellished the image of his teacher and idealistically rethought his teaching (the assessment is disputed), Xenophon tries, from his own memories, to imagine the personality of Socrates, a man of sober views, a citizen and an excellent mentor - and show his conceptual-dialectical teaching method. “Apology” is an essay in defense of Socrates, describing his behavior during the trial. In the Symposium, Socrates is having a pleasant, friendly conversation in the house of the rich man Callias. The works of Xenophon are distinguished by their simplicity of language and clarity of presentation. They have been preserved in their entirety and have been translated many times.

Xenophon is an ancient Greek historian. Marble bust in the Berlin Museum Xenophon, Xenophon of Athens(Greek) (before 430 - ca. 355 BC), ancient Greek historian, writer, political and military figure; student of Socrates.
Life
The biography of Xenophon can be found almost exclusively in his own works and in the later biography compiled by Diogenes Laertius in the 2nd century. n. Although most researchers consider the year of birth to be 430 BC. AD, there is indirect evidence pointing to 444 BC. Xenophon's father was a wealthy Athenian Grill, probably from the equestrian class. Since the first half of his life passed during the Peloponnesian War (431 - 404 BC), it is assumed that upon reaching adulthood he had to take part in it, where he probably acquired the necessary military experience, which was useful to him during Kira's campaign. There are legends that Xenophon took part in the battle of Delium, and also that he was captured in a battle with the Boeotians and in captivity listened to the conversations of the sophist Prodicus. But the only reliable evidence from the first half of his life (before 401 BC) is his acquaintance with Socrates. There is a legend about their first meeting. Socrates once stopped Xenophon in a narrow alley and asked where various products were sold. When Xenophon answered, Socrates asked him again where people become respectable. Xenophon did not know what to answer. Then Socrates said: “In that case, come with me and study.”
404 BC The Peloponnesian War ended with the defeat of Athens, and the oligarchic rule of the Thirty Tyrants was established in the city. It is believed that Xenophon, who was anti-democratic, favorably viewed this reign and even served in the army. Therefore, after the restoration of democracy, he must have found himself in an awkward position. Probably, this reason prompted him to accept the offer to go into the service of the Persian prince Cyrus, who was then recruiting a Greek army to participate in the war with his brother Artaxerxes for the Persian throne. Xenophon himself writes that he did not know about Cyrus’s true intentions, but believed that he was preparing for war with the Pisidians. Socrates judiciously pointed out to him the dangers of friendship with Cyrus, and directed him to Delphic Oracle, but Xenophon posed a question to the oracle that excluded the possibility of staying in Athens.
It is unclear what role Xenophon played in the army of Cyrus. According to his own testimony, he was “neither a strategist, nor a lieutenant (centurion), nor a private.” He was probably not a mercenary, but a voluntary adviser to Cyrus. 401 BC That is, in the first battle of Kunaxa near Babylon, Cyrus the Younger was killed, but the Greek army, which included 13 thousand mercenaries, won. After the treacherous murder of all the Greek strategists by the Persians, Xenophon was chosen among the new guides who were to lead the Greeks out of the enemy encirclement (see March of the Ten Thousand). After an eight-month campaign, the Greeks reached the Black Sea coast, having lost a third of their troops. Part went to the Thracian king Sevta, and Xenophon, with people loyal to him, accepted service with the Spartans, and from 399 BC. e participated in the war with the Persians in Asia Minor.
From 395 BC e Xenophon became close to the Spartan Cerus Agesilaus, and he became a favorite hero for the historian. Together with Agesilaus, Xenophon returned to Greece, where he took part in the Battle of Coronea (394 BC) on the side of the Spartans. Since the opponents were the Thebans, allies of the Athenians, he thereby cut off his path to his homeland, where he was condemned to exile in absentia. During the Corinthian War (394-387 BC), Xenophon accompanied Agesilaus on campaigns.
For his faithful service, the Spartans gave him a plot of land in the town of Scillunte in Elis near Olympia, where he settled with his wife and two sons, Grillo And Diodoro. After 371 BC AD, when the Thebans defeated the Spartans at Leuctra, Xenophon had to move to Corinth. 369 BC AD Athens and Sparta entered into an alliance, and the verdict against Xenophon was overturned. But the historian did not return to his homeland, although he sent his two sons to Athens. They, among the Athenian horsemen, participated in the Battle of Mantinea between the Athenians and Spartans on the one side and the Thebans on the other, where they died Grill. Xenophon lived in Corinth until his death - no earlier than 356 BC. uh Note: for the site so that it gets into the top search engines?
Creation
Almost all of the works of Xenophon, which were listed by Diogenes Laertius, have been preserved. They are usually divided into four groups:
Historical:

Anabasis- memories of Cyrus’s campaign, with exaggeration of one’s own merits.
Cyropedia (Education of Cyrus)- a tendentious pedagogical novel, a political utopia - a biography of an ideal monarch and the structure of the state he created.
Greek History (Hellenika)
Agesilaus (Eulogy to Agesilaus)- panegyric to the deceased in 361 BC. e Spartan king.

Philosophical:

Memories of Socrates(gr. Apomnemoneumata, lat. Memorabilia)
Domostroy (Book of Housekeeping, Oikonomikos)– tips for rational housekeeping.
Feast (Symposion)
Apology of Socrates (Defense of Socrates at trial, Apologia)
Hieron (Life of a Tyrant)- a philosophical dialogue, the characters of which are the Sicilian tyrant Hieron and the poet Simonides of Keossky

Political:

Profits (Attica) (Poroi)– research on ways to improve the financial and tax systems in Athens.
State structure Sparta (Lakedaimonion politeia)- praise of the constitution of Lycurgus, in which Xenophon saw the basis of the greatness of Sparta.
Government of Athens (not considered authentic by everyone)

Didactic:

About horseback riding (Peri hippikes)
Hipparchikos (Leader of the Cavalry, Hipparchikos)– tips for improving the Athenian cavalry.
Kinegetikos (On hunting, Kynegetikos, authenticity disputed)

Xenophon's works are distinguished by their simplicity of language and clarity of presentation. The cycle of Socratic writings was written by Xenophon with the aim of rehabilitating Socrates in public opinion and proving that he was executed unjustly. Researchers have always been faced with the question of the likelihood of the depiction of Socrates' face by Xenophon and Plato. Xenophon portrayed Socrates primarily as a teacher of morality, ignoring philosophical reasoning (the main distinguishing feature two versions of the image of Socrates). The writings of Xenophon are the same literary works, not historical descriptions, like Plato's dialogues. Xenophon relied heavily on the literary tradition of “Socratic dialogues”, highest value for him were the dialogues of Aeschines, Plato and especially Antisthenes. He portrayed the latter as a character in his works, using a first-person narrative (as was the case in Antisthenes’ dialogues), and most importantly, imitates the image of Socrates created by Antisthenes in his Memories describing Socrates as the owner of three characteristic anti-Sthenic virtues - “moderation”, “endurance” and “self-sufficiency”.
The main historical work - Greek History (in seven books), written from a pro-Spartan and anti-democratic position, by year, but not by methodology, continues the work of Thucydides. It covers events from 411 BC. e to the battle of the Spartans with the Thebans at Mantinea in 362 BC. AD In this work, Xenophon is guided primarily by personal sympathies or antipathies towards historical figures; the didactic and moralizing orientation of the work is clearly visible. Despite its lack of objectivity, Greek history remains the main source of historical information about this period.
Philosophy
If we assume that the views that Xenophon attributed to Socrates were also his own, then the works provide a wide range of material from dialectics and ethics. Ethics is understood as the doctrine of virtue, and virtue as knowledge of the rules of behavior, so that knowledge and virtue are inseparable. Virtues also lead to good, which consists in the benefit and happiness of life, which includes physical health, and science, and art, and friendship, and social activity, and piety.
The second significant part of Xenophon's philosophical interests is social life, where he has a constant commitment to the aristocratic way of thinking, the cult strong personality and an ideal ruler (idealization of Cyrus, the Spartan king Agesilaus, the Syracuse tyrant Hiero.
Inheritance
As a writer, Xenophon was highly valued in ancient times. Cicero claimed that “his speech is sweeter than honey, and the Muses speak with his voice,” and before, based on his works) they study classical Greek prose (especially Anabasis).

What little we know about the life of Xenophon has to be extracted from the book of Diogenes Laertius “On the Life, Teachings and Sayings of Famous Philosophers,” written in the 3rd century. AD Some indications can be found in the works of Xenophon himself. Xenophon studied philosophy with the Sophists, and he also received good cavalry training - both of which are evidence that Xenophon's father, Gryll, had considerable wealth (most likely as a landowner).

Be that as it may, we can confidently judge those factors that determined the formation of Xenophon’s personality, influenced his worldview, and gave direction to his political activity and creative writing. Aristocratic origin and upbringing formed a very definite foundation, and on this basis, the impressions of the fierce political struggle in which Xenophon himself took a direct part, and from the instructions of the newest sages, who generously sowed around them the seeds of rationalist criticism, erected a whole edifice, a whole complex of interrelated ideas. Knowing the subsequent activities and creativity of Xenophon, we can say with confidence that among these ideas were the idea of ​​​​the incompatibility of a democratic system with the principles of justice, understood in the spirit of aristocratic rationalism, and a growing conviction in the insolvency of the city republic in general, and faith in the unlimited possibilities of a strong personality, a commander and politician, endowed with perfect intelligence and will and possessing real power in the person of, say, a loyal army. This belief in the primacy of strength and in the possibility of a perfect personality is the main thing that the future author of Cyropaedia had to take out from the years of his apprenticeship, based on personal experience and under the influence of the latest philosophical doctrines.

It is not known to what extent Xenophon tried to follow these beliefs in the first, Athenian, period of his life. He was undoubtedly looking for a reason to move forward; he was drawn to the same ambitious people as himself, and we know that he became close friends with the young Boeotian Proxenus, who went to Cyrus the Younger, hoping in his service and with his help “to become famous, gain great influence and get rich” (Xenophon, Anabasis, II 6, 17).

However, Xenophon never had a real opportunity to advance to his homeland, in Athens. The Athenian democratic polis still had fairly strong foundations and traditions and, despite all the difficult trials that befell it during the Peloponnesian War, it was able to cope with both oligarchic actions and the machinations of individual ambitious people. And then followed the trial of the teacher Xenophon Socrates, which so clearly demonstrated the strength of the protective aspirations of Athenian democracy.

Thus, in post-war Athens the field free activity it was closed to ambitious aristocrats like Xenophon. It is not surprising, therefore, that Xenophon readily agreed to the invitation of his friend Proxenus to take part in the expedition of Cyrus the Younger. This was in the summer of 401. By that time, Proxenus was already in Asia, putting together one of the mercenary detachments on behalf of Cyrus.

In 401 BC Xenophon joined a large army of Greek mercenaries, which Cyrus the Younger recruited to take the throne from his brother Artaxerxes. In the first battle, Cyrus died.

Then the long retreat of the Greek mercenaries began. Xenophon, chosen as one of the new strategists, managed to distinguish himself as a talented organizer and commander and at the final stage of the campaign single-handedly led the Greek army. Using his position as the de facto commander-in-chief, he twice during this time tried to persuade his comrades to remain in Pontus and found a new city. As the founder of the city, Xenophon could count on a leadership position in the new state. However, his intention was met by the stubborn reluctance of the remaining mercenaries to stay.

At the end of the return campaign, in view of the hostile actions of the Spartan authorities, who thus wanted to demonstrate a good attitude towards the Persian king, Xenophon and the surviving soldiers were hired to serve the Thracian king Seuthus. According to the agreement, Seuthus had to provide Xenophon with refuge in case he was persecuted by Sparta, and in addition, cede to him part of the coastal possessions. Xenophon had never been so close to the possibility of acquiring his own domain. And yet this opportunity did not materialize: Seuthus, having established power over the Thracian tribes with the help of Xenophon and his mercenaries, turned out to be prudent enough not to give up his fortresses to a stranger who had an impressive military force.

Two or three years later, Xenophon joined the Spartan army, which led fighting against the Persians in Asia Minor. This happened not least because of the sympathy instilled in him by his arrival here in 396 BC. Spartan king Agesilaus (c. 444-360 BC) commanded the troops. It is likely that Xenophon was under Agesilaus when he was in Spartan service, including in Greece. Thus, in his pro-Spartan sympathies, Xenophon crossed all acceptable limits. Finally, after in 394 BC. Xenophon took the side of Sparta against Athens at the Battle of Coronea, his fellow citizens sentenced him to eternal exile, and all his property was confiscated.

After this, Xenophon moved to Sparta and received a land plot in Skillunta near Olympia. Here he lived, no longer taking an active part in the war and government affairs, completely devoting himself to creativity. The fall of Elis from Sparta after the defeat inflicted by Thebes on Sparta at Leuctra in 371 BC forced Xenophon to leave these places too, and he settled in Corinth. Now Xenophon stopped relying on Sparta, but felt a burning hatred for Thebes, the strongest participant in the endless inter-Greek conflicts at that time, which weakened all states equally. Since Athens had by that time entered into an anti-Theban coalition with Sparta, Xenophon managed to achieve reconciliation with his homeland. The law banning Xenophon was repealed. However, apparently, Xenophon did not return to his homeland and continued to live in Corinth until his death.

A unique life training, a combination of theoretical knowledge acquired in the school of Socrates with personal military experience and the associated unity of political and military interests allowed Xenophon to significantly enrich both military art and political theory, looking at them from mutually opposite points of view. It was he who first began to interpret military affairs not only from a technical point of view - others did this too - but also from a social one, establishing that the army is also a social organism that must be led, and that, therefore, any commander must be not just a commander , but also an organizer. On the other hand, having transferred his military experience to politics, here too he singled out the central problem of leadership, and not only in politics, but also in economics, thus being the forerunner of modern sociological science.

The vast majority of Xenophon's works are works of acute socio-political orientation. True, not all of them have the characteristic form of a political treatise: four works - “Anabasis”, “Cyropedia”, “Greek History” and “Agesilaus” - can be attributed to the historical genre, two - “Economist” and “ Hiero" - to the genre of philosophical dialogue, two more - "On the duties of the hipparch" and "On the art of equestrianism" - to the category of special instructions, and only the remaining two - "The Lacedaemonian polity" and "On income" - undoubtedly have form of a political treatise. However, essentially all these works are political, and this is true even for such a seemingly purely historical essay, like "Greek History". The author gives here an overview of the events of the recent past (from 411 to 362), aiming to glorify or justify Sparta and its king - his friend Agesilaus.

All these works are imbued with the topic of the day; their extreme relevance is explained by the nature of the author, for whom literary creativity was primarily a means of settling scores with reality. The struggle, thus continued, was also carried out for purely personal purposes (protection and exaltation own actions in Anabasis), and from a more general position, reflecting the reaction of the wealthy and aristocratic elite of Greek society, to which Xenophon belonged, to the socio-political situation that had developed by the middle of the 4th century.