History Question

Description

Write ONE essay on ONE of the following topics. In your essay, you must discuss BOTH texts that we have read for the first part of this class: The Odyssey, and Plato’s dialogues regarding the trial of Socrates. In your essay, you must use at least TWO quotes from EACH source in your answer. (For Plato’s trial of Socrates, each of your two quotes must come from different dialogues. For example, perhaps one of your quotes might be from the Apology. The other quote must come from either Crito or Euthyphro.) You will have a minimum of FOUR quotes in total, and you are required to give the page number for your citations.

Please remember that you must place the assigned texts within their historical contexts, and you must demonstrate that you understand the concept of change over time. You don’t have to answer each and every question in the topic – they are just meant to get you thinking!

COURAGE: Odysseus a courageous hero for battling monsters like the Cyclops, or is his wife Penelope even more courageous for resisting the advances of suitors for ten long years? Is Socrates’ behavior during his trial courageous, or just plain aggravating? Would you describe his philosophy as courageous, and if so, why? What sort of courage do the Greeks want from their heroes and how does this change from the Mycenaean period to the Classical Age of Athens?

WISDOM/INTELLIGENCE: Perhaps the Greek hero is meant to be more than brave – perhaps heroes must be wise too. How does Odysseus’ great mind, always teaming, get him out of trouble and help him win Athena’s favor? Why must a warrior be wise (and not just bold)? And why must the ideal wife (Penelope) be intelligent as well (and not just faithful)? And what does wisdom mean to a great philosopher like Socrates? What does he want to teach his fellow Athenians about wisdom and its place in a democratic society? Does the definition of wisdom or intelligence change from the Mycenaean period to the time of Socrates? If so, why?

JUSTICE: Is the theme of justice important in all three of our sources, and does the idea of justice remain the same from the Odyssey to the Trial of Socrates? Does Odysseus seek justice, or simply vengeance? What is the difference between Justice and Vengeance? Was it just to put Socrates on trial? Are the gods themselves just, or is justice a human preoccupation, connected to the development of the polis, particularly in Athens?