BASC14041 - Basic Program Symposium: Plato in his own Voice? The Seventh Letter vs. the Dialogues

Course Description

Plato in his own voice? The Seventh Letter vs. the Dialogues

The impact of the Seventh Letter on interpreting Plato's dialogues

Plato never writes in his own voice—except in his letters. The Seventh Letter is longer than the others put together. Although very little attention has been paid to it, and its authenticity questioned, there is general agreement that it is a fourth century BCE document, or at latest early third. I take the view that people generally pay little attention to this text because it might induce them to change their views of Plato, and his Dialogues. I take the position that this text requires us to change our views. It will not give us a radically new view of Plato and his work, but on some particular but critical points it makes a great difference.

Course Outline

James M. Redfield, Edward Olson Distinguished Service Professor Emeritus of Classical languages and Literatures, of Social Thought, Committee on the Ancient Mediterranean World, and in the College

James M. Redfield has written Nature and Culture in the Iliad: The Tragedy of Hector; The Locrian Maidens: Love and Death in Greek Italy and articles on Homer, Herodotus, Plato, and Greek society. His teaching is focused on Greek language, literature, and social history as they can be understood in the light of theory drawn from modern linguistics and anthropology.

Notes

Join us for a 1/2 day symposium on Saturday, March 20 from 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CT

This event is open to all and will take place via Zoom. A link to join the meeting will be sent to all registrants in advance of the Symposium date.

A PDF of Plato's Seventh Letter will be provided to registrants.

Tuition $135.

Registration Deadline:  Friday, March 19 at 2 pm CT