Concept

Alcibiades

Overview

Alcibiades (; Ancient Greek: Ἀλκιβιάδης; c. 450 – 404 BC) was an Athenian statesman and general. The last of the Alcmaeonidae, he played a major role in the second half of the Peloponnesian War as a strategic advisor, military commander, and politician, but subsequently fell from prominence.

During the course of the Peloponnesian War, Alcibiades changed his political allegiance several times. In his native Athens in the early 410s BC, he advocated an aggressive foreign policy and was a prominent proponent of the Sicilian Expedition. After his political enemies brought charges of sacrilege against him, he fled to Sparta, where he served as a strategic advisor, proposing or supervising several major campaigns against Athens. However, Alcibiades made powerful enemies in Sparta too, and defected to Persia. There he served as an adviser to the satrap Tissaphernes until Athenian political allies brought about his recall. He served as an Athenian general (strategos) for several years, but enemies eventually succeeded in exiling him a second time. He took refuge in Persian territory and was eventually assassinated, reportedly at the instigation of Lysander of Sparta.

Scholars have argued that had the Sicilian expedition been under Alcibiades's command instead of that of Nicias, the expedition might not have met its eventual disastrous fate. In the years when he served Sparta, Alcibiades played a significant role in Athens's undoing; the capture of Decelea and the revolts of several critical Athenian subjects occurred either at his suggestion or under his supervision. Once restored to his native city, however, he played a crucial role in a string of Athenian victories that eventually brought Sparta to seek a peace with Athens. He favored unconventional tactics, frequently winning cities over by treachery or negotiation rather than by siege.

Alcibiades's military and political talents frequently proved valuable to whichever state currently held his allegiance, but his propensity for making powerful enemies ensured that he never remained in one place for long; by the end of the war that he had helped to rekindle in the early 410s, his days of political relevance were a bygone memory. He is also remembered in art and literature as a student of Socrates.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0; see the article history for authors).

In the original texts

Passages from public-domain books where Alcibiades is discussed.

He despised everyone else, and had no reverence or awe for any but him. Cleanthes the philosopher; speaking of one to whom he was attached, says his only hold on him was by his ears, while his rivals had all the others offered them; and there is no question that Alcibiades was very easily caught by pleasures; and the expression used by Thucydides about the excesses of his habitual course of living gives occasion to…
Plutarch, Plutarch
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Driven about from house to house in the city, and from general to general in the camp, the latter had no resort but to place himself in the hands of Tissaphernes; unless we are to suppose that his object in courting favor with him was to avert the entire destruction of his native city, whither he wished himself to return. As regards money, Alcibiades, we are told, was often guilty of procuring it by accepting…
Plutarch, The Boys' and Girls' Plutarch
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_Soc._ But he who loves your soul is the true lover? [Sidenote: _Socrates, the only true lover of Alcibiades._] _Al._ That is the necessary inference. _Soc._ The lover of the body goes away when the flower of youth fades? _Al._ True. [Sidenote: He only remains and goes not away, so long as the soul of his beloved follows after virtue.] _Soc._ But he who loves the soul goes not away, as long as the soul follows after…
Plato, The dialogues of Plato in five volumes, Vol. 2
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When Alcibiades had finished, there was a laugh at his outspokenness; for he seemed to be still in love with Socrates. You are sober, Alcibiades, said Socrates, or you would never have gone so far about to hide the purpose of your satyr's praises, for all this long story is only an ingenious circumlocution, of which the point comes in…
Plato, Symposium
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ALCIBIADES. My lord— FIRST SENATOR. You cannot make gross sins look clear. To revenge is no valour, but to bear. ALCIBIADES. My lords, then, under favour, pardon me If I speak like a captain. Why do fond men expose themselves to battle And not endure all threats? Sleep upon’t, And let the foes quietly cut their throats Without repugnancy?
William Shakespeare, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
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Philosophers who discussed Alcibiades

Related ideas

Opposing perspectives

Syracuse, Sicily

Place in the tradition

Part of Socrates.

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