ISOCRATES

born 436 BC, Athens died 338, Athens ancient Athenian orator, rhetorician, and teacher whose writings are an important historical source on the intellectual and political life of the Athens of his day. The school he founded differed markedly in its aims from the Academy of Plato and numbered among its pupils men of eminence from all over the Greek world. Additional reading Isocrates, 3 vol. (Loeb Classical Library, 192845, reprinted 195456); Albin Lesky, Geschichte der griechischen Literatur, 2nd ed. (1963; A History of Greek Literature, 1966), gives an up-to-date statement (pp. 582591) of Isocrates' literary achievement and importance; George A. Kennedy, The Art of Persuasion in Greece (1963), surveys and assesses the contribution of Isocrates to Greek rhetoric; Georges Mathieu, Les Ides politiques d'Isocrate (1925), provides a full account of the dating, circumstances, and importance of the political writings of Isocrates; N.H. Baynes, Byzantine Studies and Other Essays, pp. 144167 (1955), makes a spirited attack on Isocrates' intellectual standing and integrity and claims to expose the shameful self-interest that inspired his work; H.I. Marrou, Histoire de l'ducation dans l'antiquit (1948; A History of Education in Antiquity, 1956), assesses Isocrates' place in the history of education, and particularly in relation to Plato; Klaus Bringmann, Studien zu den politischen Ideen des Isokrates (1965), contains ample bibliography.