Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.E. )
Optimistic philosophy / themes
Orestia Trilogy (458 B.C.E. )
– Agamemnon, The Libation Bearers,
The Eumenides
– Growth of civilization through reason and order
Sophocles (496-406 B.C.E. )
Friend of Pericles
Consequences of human error
Most traditionally religious in theme
Antigone, Oedipus the King
Euripides (484-406 B.C.E. )
Realistic, rational
– Social, political, religious injustice
– Concern for psychological truth
Suppliant Women, Helen, Iphigenia in Taurus, Bacchae
Aristophanes (450-385 B.C.E.)
Athenian comic poet
Political satire + fantasy
– The Birds
– Lysistrata
The Fall of Athens
Philip of Macedon (359 B.C.E. )
– Macedonian Empire
League of Corinth
Alexander the Great
Philosophy in the Late Classical Period
Socrates
– Fate of the individual
– Questioning traditional values
– The Socratic problem
Xenophon
– Apology, Symposium, Memorabilia
Philosophy in the Late Classical Period
Plato
– Disciple of Socrates
• Apology, Crito, Phaedo
– The Academy
– Political theory / ideal society
• Theory of Forms
• Inspired by chaos of 4th c. Greek politics
Philosophy in the Late Classical Period
Aristotle
– Pupil of Plato
– The Lyceum
– Platonist vs. Aristotelian
– Metaphysics, Physics, Rhetoric,
Poetics
– “Master of those who know.”
Music in the Classical Period
Popularity of instrumental music
Doctrine of Ethos
– Plato
– Aristotle
