Xenophon (ca. How so, how not? "Fellow-helpers" translates sunergoi (fellow-workers). Link/Page Citation Most economists are aware that the name for their discipline dates back to a 4th century B.C. "... the name of an art. covers a wide range of issues pertaining to agricultural economics and productivity, and situates these concepts in their larger philosophical context. (pp. Xenophon (c. 430–354 BC) was an ancient Greek philosopher, historian, soldier, and, also, a student of Socrates. A "foreman" or epistates will not be a slave. J. S. Watson. Xenophon. above, pp. One of the richest primary sources for the social, economic, and intellectual history of classical Athens, it has been largely neglected despite the current widespread interest in the subjects discussed. Xenophon’s Minor Works. "Art" here in Greek is episteme, a systematized branch of knowledge, a science. Then as now, there could be senior and junior partners. The dialogue describes the methods he used to educate his wife in the role of running the house as a self-directed partner, the practice of ruling and training the slaves, and farming techniques. A trierarch is one required to pay for the construction of a warship, a "trireme." ." The result is an engaging read that offers keen insights into leadership in the world of work. "housekeeper." Contrary, being poor means, someone is more self-sufficient and independent. 430 to ca. 96 ff.). 96. The Oeconomicus is unique in Greek literature in combining a discussion of the proper management of an oikos ('family', 'household', or 'estate') and didactic material on agriculture within a Socratic dialogue. As in Semonides (7.83–93), the good wife is like a queen bee in the beehive (7.32 ff.). Firstly, the outer frame of the dialogue is created by a somewhat informal conversation between Socrates and Critoboulus, the son of Crito, who wants to learn from Socrates how to best run a house or estate. Oeconomicus by Xenophon is often treated as one of the earliest sources of economics that we have information about. . For in the very nature of things, success tends to create pride and blindness in the hearts of men, while suffering teaches them to be patient and strong. 84. A Social and Historical Commentary. . English "paradise" derives from that word. 354 BCE), a member of a wealthy but politically quietist Athenian family and an admirer of Socrates, left Athens in 401 BCE to serve as a mercenary commander for Cyrus the Younger of Persia, then joined the staff of King Agesilaus II of Sparta before settling in Elis and, in the aftermath of the battle of Leuctra in 371 BCE, retiring to Corinth. The most famous section is an account of how the rich Ischomachus trains his ingenuous young wife for an important role in running their home. "personal intimacy with one another." Stories providing creative, innovative, and sustainable changes to the ways we learn  Take a look, Montaigne: Sometimes, Your Penis Will Let You Down, 5 Surprising Ways Ancient Chinese Philosophy Can Better Your Life (And The World), I Was Tired of Feeling Lost, Then I Stumbled Upon Essentialism, Seven Essential Philosophical Distinctions, David Chalmers’ Book, The Conscious Mind: In Search of a Fundamental Theory. 124: "First met with in a line of the 'Iliad' (ii. ], [As in Socratic dialectic: one must agree to a thesis only after one has tried to refute (by cross-questioning) the thesis, and failed. . He marched with the Spartans, and was exiled from Athens. When that ended badly, Xenophon was made leader of what remained of the famous 10,000, and helped guide them back to the Greek world from what is now Iraq. Xenophon’s book is awesome. Why the emphasis placed on the theme of command and governance, whether in the home, in the affairs of state, or on the battlefield. Pp. 85. (Xenophon would write about it in his Anabasis.) Oaths "by Jove" or "by Jupiter" are oaths by Greek Zeus. He accompanied a force of Greek mercenaries fighting for Cyrus the Younger, a pretender to the Persian throne. Although it is mainly based on ancient Greece, some concepts introduced in the book can still be applied till this day. The translator bowdlerizes. So, without wasting time, what about taking a deeper look into Xenophon’s work? 73. It is important to note at this point that Socrates gently chides Critobulus for paying more attention to his pleasures than to his estates. (Xenophon would write about it in his Anabasis.). was a historian and a miscellaneous writer, a military leader and a disciple of Socrates, of whom he was a pupil at an early age. How today might Ischomachus be censured/praised for the way he treats his wife? But in either case, we're dealing with someone charged with overseeing the workers beneath him. And if you, like me, prefer to take a more simplistic approach to all subjects discussed in the book, or if you are looking for a nice alternative book to read and drift your mind away from all chaos that’s going on in the world right now, then this is a light philosophical summer reading. 95. In contrast to Bryson* — who wrote a treatise about household management — Xenophon wrote a three-layered dialogue with an outer, intermediate, and inner frame. Socrates' inquiry into management, featured in Xenophon's Oeconomicus, contains valuable insights still relevant to the contemporary world. Xenophon in Seven Volumes, 4. With introd., summaries, critical and explanatory notes, lexical and other indices Item Preview remove-circle Share or Embed This Item. ), of Ischomachus' occupations, especially his approach to the proper care of farms and crops, and of his ideas on the art of ruling, which he evidently practices by virtue of being a master of his slaves and husband of his wife (pp. The Oeconomicus (Greek: Οἰκονομικός) by Xenophon is a Socratic dialogue principally about household management and agriculture.. The work starts out with Socrates exhorting Critobulus, sort of an Athenian playboy, though a married one (note that he's played both erastes and eromenos in pederastic affairs; cf. It is rather unusual for a Greek author to present as sympathetic a portrait of barbarians — in Xenophon's case, Persians and Phoenicians (modern Iranians and Lebanese) — as Xenophon does, both here and in his fictionalized life of Cyrus the Great (Cyropaideia). But he also seems to have been a great friend of Athens' long-time enemy, Sparta. 1979. 86. satrap. (You could sue to prove that another Athenian had more money than you, and thus ought to undertake the liturgy. Literally, "beautiful/handsome and good," it can be understood to refer to a man of quality or a gentleman. Oeconomicus by Xenophon; Hayes, Bernard John. 76. Socrates then decides to discuss with him the meaning of wealth and shows the paradoxical disparity between the two. Oeconomicus is a classical masterpiece. 78-79. 110. *The Book of Bryson, On the Man’s Management of his Estate is available in an English translation as an excerpt at Cambridge University Press. xenophon: extract from 'oeconomicus' (the estate manager) Introduction. The work covers a lot of ground, but contains much having to do with relations between husbands and wives. Have they in any way stayed the same? Xenophon lived ca. With Plato and Aristophanes, Xenophon is understood as the alternative source for ancient history and Socrates’ life and thinking. It also encompasses the threefold practical view of society that distinguishes between individuals, the house, and the city (state). Now we tend to think of that as skilled labor; the ancient Greeks tended to associate it with indoor, and therefore effeminate, work. The text not only addresses social, political, and intellectual life in classical Athens, but also tells us about the relationship between husbands and wives, principals and servants, masters and slaves, and many other relevant subjects till this day, such as: education, religion, and politics. Oeconomicus by Xenophon, unknown edition, ... Oeconomicus Convivium, Hiero, Agesilaus This edition was published in 1812 by E. typographeo Clarendoniano in Oxonii. "Domestic [i.e., household] management," in Greek oikonomia. Xenophon led an eventful life. 325), {opsimos} does not appear till late Greek except in the 'Oeconomicus,' a disputed work of Xenophon." Xenophon led an eventful life. Again, Xenophon's aristocratic bias. xii + 388. The book presents us with an introduction to the management of an estate as the smallest economic entity in a society. (pp. ." The analogy of the well-ordered Phoenician freighter. In another words, all assets from an estate are only useful, if they are used diligently and wisely. What we as managers, readers, or learners need to understand better is that there is not only one way to do things and the more we find out about different techniques, subjects, or processes we can then find a style that best suits our personality. "Oeconomicus, on the Management of a Farm and Household." The appearance of this new edition of Xenophon’s Oeconomicus by Sarah Pomeroy has been long and keenly anticipated. Purchase a copy of this text (not necessarily the same edition) from Amazon.com Xenophon. Arguably as a result, he spent decades in exile, though he may have been able to make his peace with Athens toward the end of his life, and could perhaps have been allowed to return at some point before he died. An important part of that has to do with marrying and training a wife as fellow helper. By contrast, Plato's Socrates very often serves as mouthpiece for a strikingly original and sophisticated metaphysics, logic, and ethics. Thus we hear of Ischomachus' principles of educating a wife to be a proper helpmate (97 ff. By doing that, Socrates recalls a conversation he recently had with Ischomachus who, in Socrates’ words is described as a virtuous man. "But I consider that a wife, who is a good partner in household management, has equal influence with her husband for their common prosperity." "matters of amusement." Socrates lists the sorts of public duties to which Critobulus' wealth obliges him. How have things changed? Publisher’s Review: “Xenophon’s only true Socratic discourse, the Oeconomicus, is a dialogue between Socrates and a gentleman-farmer on the art of household management and the art of farming as practiced on a gentleman’s estate. In 394, he fought for Sparta against his home city of Athens. But Xenophon's Socrates (unlike Plato's) interestingly shows a marked interest in practical matters. The Persian kings, following the example of their Mesopotamian precursors, maintained richly appointed hunting parks called paradeisoi. 78-79.). "Handicrafts" translates bausanikai (tekhnai): shoemaking, smithing, the sort of pre-industrial manufacturing done in a shop. "... some men have so managed their wives, as to find in them fellow-helpers in improving their fortunes." Xenophon (c.428-354 B.C.) Do positions explored in Butler's Antigone's Claim — in Butler's reading of Sophocles' Antigone — pose a challenge in any way to ways of seeing gender in Xenophon's Oeconomicus?