The Socratic way of life : Xenophon's Memorabilia /

In The Socratic Way of Life, Pangle (democratic studies, department of government, Univ. of Texas, Austin) presents a sustained commentary on Xenophon's Apology and Memorabilia in an effort to show that Xenophon's Socrates, as opposed to Plato's Socrates, is the true founder of political philosophy in the West. Pangle's commentary is demanding--he expects readers to be familiar with the entire history of Western political philosophy and to be able to read some Greek, Latin, German, and French. Thus this book is scholarly, written for scholars who already have extensive knowledge of the field of political philosophy. Though Pangle is meticulous in making his case, his thesis will remain, in this reviewer's opinion, controversial. Scholars will continue to debate whether Plato or Xenophon offers the authentic Socrates. What cannot be debated is that Pangle's commentary reveals Xenophon's Socrates as a sophisticated alternative to Plato's, and scholars who favor Plato's Socrates over Xenophon's will be forced to reconsider their preference in light of Pangle's exegesis. Such scholars may even be compelled to reconsider their own view of Socrates himself. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty. --Geoffrey Scott Bagwell, Spokane Community College