Helping friends and harming enemies: the case of Gorgias 480a6–481b5

Authors

  • Konstantinos Stefou University of Ioannina

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2358-3150.v17i2p52-62

Keywords:

Sócrates, Platão, Górgias, retaliação, injustiça, ética

Abstract

As we know from the Crito (49c10-11) and from the Republic (335e5-6), Plato’s Socrates explicitly rejects any idea of retaliation. This view is further strengthened by Gorgias 480a6-481b5, a passage that has not been extensively discussed yet. In the passage in question, Socrates challenges the traditional maxim “ὠφελεῖν τοὺς φίλους καὶ βλάπτειν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς” (“helping friends and harming enemies”) by radically changing it into “ὠφελεῖν τοὺς φίλους καὶ ὠφελεῖν τοὺς ἐχθροὺς” (“helping friends and helping enemies”). Socratic ethics does not approve one’s doing injustice in any way.

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Published

2013-11-28

Issue

Section

Artigos

How to Cite

Stefou, K. (2013). Helping friends and harming enemies: the case of Gorgias 480a6–481b5. Letras Clássicas, 17(2), 52-62. https://doi.org/10.11606/issn.2358-3150.v17i2p52-62