Thomas L. Pangle is the Joe R. Long Chair in Democratic Studies and codirector of the Thomas Jefferson Center for the Study of Core Texts and Ideas at the University of Texas at Austin. His many books include, most recently, The Socratic Way of Life, also published by the University of Chicago Press.
Unlike his book on the Memorabilia, the structure of Pangle's
Socrates Founding Political Philosophy does not strictly follow the
structure of Xenophon's works. Pangle devotes six chapters to the
Economist, Pangle's thought-provoking translation of the title of
the work more commonly known simply by its Greek title,
Oeconomicus, the Xenophontic text that he says portrays Socrates
founding the science of economics; he then offers one chapter each
to the Symposium and to the Apology of Socrates to the Jury. The
book also includes a compelling, informative appendix containing
Pangle's preliminary observations on the similarities and contrasts
between Plato's and Xenophon's presentations of Socrates. There is
much to learn from this short piece.
-- "The Review of Politics"
"A companion volume to Pangle's recent study of Xenophon's
Memorabilia, Socrates Founding Political Philosophy in Xenophon's
"Economist," "Symposium," and "Apology" completes his study of the
four writings Xenophon devoted to his philosophic teacher,
Socrates. Together they constitute a tour de force of genuinely
philosophic engagement with the texts. It is exceedingly rare to
encounter the combination on display here of philological
exactness, command of the secondary literature, and a truly
philosophical depth. A remarkable accomplishment that will bring
Xenophon the philosopher to a new generation of students and
scholars."--Robert C. Bartlett, Boston College
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