Μενέξενоς

"Μενέξενος" by Plato is a Socratic dialogue traditionally included in the seventh tetralogy. Socrates encounters Menexenus and shares a funeral oration he claims to have learned from Aspasia, the female philosopher and consort of Pericles. The speech praises Athens' noble heritage and military valor while referencing Pericles' famous funeral oration from the Peloponnesian War. Unique among Platonic dialogues, the work consists primarily of this lengthy oration rather than philosophical debate, offering rare insight into Athenian funeral oratory practices while simultaneously parodying the form. (This is an automatically generated summary.)