The Symposia Of The Cyropaedia

Only one gathering in the Cyropaedia, a celebration after the conquest of Babylon (8. 4. 1–27), is actually termed a symposium, but several relaxed, semi-serious conversations which take place round the dinner table are found in the work. These parties are, as a rule, lively interludes meant to charm and instruct the reader rather than advance the plot of the work in any substantial way. Astyages arranges a banquet for Mandane and young Cyrus during their visit to Media (1. 3. 4–12), Cyrus invites several of his Persian officers to join him at mess in his tent (2. 2. 12. 3. 1), Gobryas joins his new ally, Cyrus, at dinner on the grounds of his estate (5. 2. 5–22), and Pheraulas and a Sacian rearrange their future in a tête-à-tête over dinner (8. 3. 35–50). These parties, besides lending vivacity and colour to the work, are an interesting blend of Greek and Persian customs, while the influence of Socratic symposia is never far in the background. All of these banquets share a number of. recurrent themes, and a closer look at Cyr. 8. 4. 1–27, the longest and most varied symposium in the work, is perhaps the easiest way to identify these characteristic topics.

Ancient history · Art · Art history · Banquet · CONQUEST · Estate · Political science · Ancient Near East History · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classics · Historical, Religious, and Philosophical Studies · History · Law