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Plato and the Tyrant: What Inspired Philosophy's Greatest Masterpiece?

Nov 6, 2025

James Romm, Bard classics professor and author, recounts Plato’s tangled real-world dealings with Syracusan tyrants. Daniel Mendelsohn, Bard humanities professor and noted translator, steers a lively conversation. They trace Plato’s trips to Syracuse, his bonds with Dion, court intrigue and exile, and how these dramas shaped the Republic and Plato’s later political thought.

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ANECDOTE

Dion's Invitation Sparked The Drama

Dion invited Plato to Syracuse and formed a close bond with him that Romm presents as romantic.
That relationship became central to the political drama that followed at the Syracusan court.

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INSIGHT

Father Versus Son: Two Different Tyrannies

Dionysius I and II differed sharply: the father was assertive and cultured, the son insecure and susceptible to philosophers.
Dionysius II sought Plato's mentorship to fill his educational and political void.

question_answer

ANECDOTE

Court Intrigue Ended In Banishment

Court factionalism in Syracuse led to Dion's banishment and left Plato isolated and effectively under house arrest.
The family split escalated into civil strife that toppled the regime's stability.

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Overview: Plato, Syracuse and the Tyrants

03:03 • 2min

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Why Syracuse Mattered in the 4th Century

04:57 • 2min

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Plato's First Journey and His Motives

07:11 • 2min

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Dionysius I versus Dionysius II

09:00 • 2min

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Dion and Plato: Friendship or Erotic Bond?

11:27 • 2min

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Sources on Syracuse and Their Problems

13:29 • 2min

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Intrigue at the Syracusan Court

15:56 • 4min

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What Went Wrong with Dionysius II

19:59 • 5min

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The Controversy Over Plato's Letters

25:20 • 4min

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How Letters Illuminate the Syracuse Episode

29:01 • 2min

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The Republic: Theory Braided with Practice

30:40 • 9min

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Problems of the Republic: Autocracy and Eugenics

39:13 • 4min

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Parallels with Seneca and Nero

43:19 • 1min

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What Would Plato Say About Modern Democracy?

44:38 • 2min

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Did Plato Change: From Republic to Laws

46:20 • 2min

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Plato's Youth: Rule of the Thirty and Its Influence

48:18 • 4min

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Links Between Critias, Atlantis and Syracuse

52:47 • 2min

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Evidence for Late Composition of the Republic

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Bridging the ancient and the urgent, historian James Romm and acclaimed author and translator Daniel Mendelsohn dive into the dramatic story behind Plato and the Tyrant.

This is not the Plato of abstract thought, but a man deeply entangled in the brutal politics of his time...a philosopher who sought to reshape power itself. Romm and Mendelsohn explore how Plato’s real-world entanglements with tyrants and revolutionaries in Syracuse directly influenced his philosophical masterpiece, Republic, and how the ideal of the philosopher-king emerged from a world teetering on the edge of chaos.

With Mendelsohn’s signature insight and Romm’s vivid storytelling, this event is a dynamic exploration of one of history’s greatest minds, revealing a Plato who was ambitious, politically engaged, and profoundly shaped by personal and political crisis.

You can find James’ recently released book,Plato and the Tyrant: The Fall of Greece's Greatest Dynasty and the Making of a Philosophic Masterpiece, here. https://www.amazon.com/Plato-Tyrant-G...

Also make sure to check out Daniel’s acclaimed new translation of the Odyssey here. https://press.uchicago.edu/ucp/books/...

Hosted by Anya Leonard. This discussion is brought to you by Classical Wisdom, a site dedicated to bringing ancient wisdom to modern minds. To learn more about Classical Wisdom and sign up for our free newsletter, go to : https://classicalwisdom.substack.com/

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