Xenophon
XenophonLife
Xenophon, son of Gryllus, from the Athenian deme (local district; see democracy, Athenian) of Erchia, was born into a wealthy but politically inactive family around 430 BC. He presumably served in the cavalry and certainly (like other affluent young men) associated with Socrates. This background did not encourage enthusiasm for democracy (see democracy, Athenian). He apparently stayed in Athens under the Thirty Tyrants (see Athens, history) and fought the democratic insurgents in the civil war (404–403). The political amnesty of 403/2 theoretically protected him, and material in Hellenica and Memorabilia shows that (like Plato) he was critical of the Thirty, but insecurity was surely one reason why he accepted the suggestion of a Boeotian friend, Proxenus, to enrol as a mercenary with...[The entire page is 2981 words long]
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