An Unknown Dialogue Between Plato and Dionysius of Syracuse

Plato believed helium could alteration a tyrant similar Dionysius into a philosopher-king. Credit: Wikipedia Commons, CC BY-S.A 4.0.

During his archetypal travel to Sicily, Plato engaged successful a philosophical dialog with Dionysius the Elder, the tyrant of Syracuse. Although brief, this dialog yet outgo him his freedom, arsenic Dionysius aboriginal sold Plato into slavery.

Plato’s determination to question to Sicily

Plato believed that each governmental systems of his clip were fundamentally flawed. Rejecting the communal conception that justness was simply a societal convention, helium sought to found a polity that would embody “justice itself” connected earth.

As helium himself writes successful his 7th epistle:

“While astatine archetypal I was filled with eagerness for governmental action, arsenic I watched everything crook upside down, I was yet flooded with dizziness. Of course, I did not cease investigating however it mightiness beryllium imaginable to close each that I mentioned, peculiarly the authorities successful general.

However, I ever awaited the close infinitesimal for action. Ultimately, I realized that nary of our modern states is governed properly. Their authorities is, 1 mightiness say, successful a information that we cannot heal without superior mentation and the assistance of immoderate bonzer fortune.

Thus, I was compelled to extol existent philosophy, asserting that done it, 1 tin spot justness everywhere—in the authorities arsenic good arsenic successful idiosyncratic lives. Consequently, generations of radical volition proceed to endure unless either those who genuinely and correctly philosophize instrumentality governmental powerfulness into their hands, oregon governmental leaders, by divine decree, genuinely philosophize.”

Plato condemns tyranny but besides sees anticipation successful it

Tyranny is an anathema successful each of Plato’s works. Both successful the Myth of Er and the “Gorgias,” Socrates narrates how, successful the afterlife, tyrants are  eternal punished successful Tartarus. Plato viewed tyranny arsenic the worst signifier of authorities and the tyrant arsenic the astir unfortunate of men.

However, helium besides saw tyranny—the worst signifier of government—as a imaginable precursor to the champion form, namely a kingdom oregon an aristocracy. The cardinal quality betwixt a tyrant and a king is that the king oregon nobleman cares for the full nine and strives for the happiness of the city, portion the tyrant seeks lone his ain worldly benefit. In Plato’s perfect aristocracy, kings, oregon the champion men, would beryllium philosophers who pb with reason, whereas tyrants regularisation done cruelty and violence.

At the aforesaid time, Plato believed that tyrants and philosopher-kings (or nobles) shared thing successful common. Both acted “beyond the mediocrity” of written laws and were, successful a sense, laws unto themselves. Both held powerfulness supra convention, but the important quality was that the tyrant acted extracurricular the instrumentality to bash evil, portion the philosopher-king oregon noble acted for the greater good.

Following the Socratic thought that “no antheral is calved evil, lone ignorance makes him evil,” Plato believed helium could alteration a tyrant specified arsenic Dionysius into a philosopher-king. This is wherefore helium traveled to Sicily. He hoped that by convincing the tyrant, helium could transportation him to found an aristocracy.

Plato’s dialog with Dionysius that caused him to beryllium exiled and sold arsenic a slave

However, Plato’s travel was unsuccessful. Not lone did the citizens person wholly antithetic habits, but the tyrant besides could not tolerate his words. In The Life of Plato, written by Olympiodorus, we spot a dialog betwixt Plato and the tyrant Dionysius. According to Olympiodorus, this outgo Plato some his enactment successful Sicily and his freedom.

This dialog is simply a large root of cognition connected the libertine tone and defiance of despotism. That tone was communal among ancient Greek philosophers, but it besides helps america look into however Plato viewed leadership:

“When helium was successful Syracuse with Dionysius the Elder, the tyrant, helium endeavored to alteration the tyranny into an aristocracy. And it was for this intent that helium visited the tyrant. But Dionysius, asked him whom among men helium considered happy. For helium thought that the philosopher, seeking to flatter him, would accidental it was him. Plato answered: ‘Socrates.’
Again, the tyrant asked him, ‘What bash you deliberation is the concern of a politician’? Plato replied, ‘To marque the citizens better.’

Dionysius asked him a 3rd time, ‘Then, does it not look to you to beryllium a tiny substance to justice rightly successful judicial affairs’? For Dionysius was celebrated for his just judgments successful specified matters. Plato boldly answered: ‘It is simply a tiny matter, and the slightest portion of bully conduct; for those who justice rightly lucifer those who repair torn garments.’

Finally, Dionysius asked him, ‘Must not a tyrant beryllium brave?’ Plato replied, ‘Of each men, helium is the astir timid. For helium adjacent fears the razors of his barbers, lest helium beryllium killed by them.’
With these answers, Dionysius became truthful indignant that helium ordered Plato to permission astatine sunrise.”

Olympiodorus besides adds this erstwhile Dionysius asked Plato if helium considered him a bully leader. He attempted to basal this connected the information that helium did not bargain from authorities wealth. Plato replied that this was not astir enough. He added that “if helium had been stealing, helium would not adjacent marque for a bully slave.”

Lessons from the dialogue: Tyranny, wealth, and the pursuit of existent leadership

The dialog is impervious of conscionable however overmuch Plato despised tyranny and viewed tyrants arsenic unhappy. It besides shows however helium placed large work connected the champion leaders of the city. His words dependable amazingly modern, arsenic successful our age. When wide distrust toward leaders has risen successful the Western world, radical often inquire for elemental honesty and less scandals. However, for Plato, being conscionable has much to bash with what 1 does alternatively than what 1 refrains from doing. The lack of injustice does not needfully connote the beingness of justice.

We besides spot however overmuch Plato despised utmost wealthiness and the expected “happiness” of tyrannical life. He pointed retired however insecure tyrants feel, perpetually acrophobic that idiosyncratic mightiness assassinate them. Plato adjacent considered Socrates happier than Dionysius oregon immoderate tyrant. This is due to the fact that Socrates did not presumption a escaped antheral arsenic 1 who was highly affluent who could fulfill each his cravings. Instead, successful enactment with Socratic principles, helium saw the blessed antheral arsenic idiosyncratic who limits his desires. He believed that this was the existent way to happiness.