First Alcibiades

The First Alcibiades or Alcibiades I, a dialogue featuring Alcibiades in conversation with Socrates, is ascribed to Plato, although scholars are divided on the question of its authenticity. It was probably written within a century or two of Plato's other works.

Content

In the First Alcibiades, Socrates declares his immense love for Alcibiades in a short preface, then spends the rest of the dialogue rehearsing the many reasons Alcibiades needs him. By the end of Alcibiades I, the Athenian youth is much persuaded by Socrates' reasoning, though ultimately Socrates' attempts to woo Alcibiades away from politics fail. In antiquity Alcibiades I was regarded as the best text to introduce one to Platonic philosophy, which may perhaps be why it has (since antiquity) been included in the Platonic corpus.

Authenticity

The authenticity of the First Alcibiades was never doubted in antiquity. It was not until 1836 that the German scholar Friedrich Schleiermacher argued for its inauthenticity. Subsequently the popularity of the dialogue declined. However, Stylometrical research supports the authenticity of the dialogue, and some scholars have recently defended its authenticity.

Dating

Traditionally, the First Alcibiades has been considered an early dialogue. However a later dating has also been defended, e.g. by Nicholas Denyer, who suggests that it was written in the 350's BC.

References

Bibliography

• Denyer, Nicholas, "introduction", in Plato, Alcibiades, Nicholas Denyer (ed.) (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2001): 1-26.
• Foucault, Michel, The Hermeneutics of the Subject: Lectures at the Collège de France, 1981–1982 (New York: Picador, 2005).
• Young, Charles M., "Plato and Computer Dating", in Nicholas D. Smith (ed.), Plato: Critical Assessments volume 1: General Issues of Interpretation (London: Routledge, 1998): 29-49.

External links

• First Alcibiades