May. 1st, 2023

On Spells

May. 1st, 2023 10:58 am
sdi: Oil painting of the Heliconian Muse whispering inspiration to Hesiod. (Default)

Critobulus once asked Socrates, "Socrates, you are wise; do you know any magic spells for attracting love?"

Socrates answered, "Well, Themistocles made Athens fall in love with him by adorning her with amulets..."

(Adapted from Xenophon, Memorabilia II 6.)

...

(Okay, okay, I'll explain the joke. Themistocles was an Athenian general and politician who, after Athens and Sparta managed to (barely) repel Persia at the Battle of Marathon, managed to drain the treasury to build Athens a massive navy and fortifications (the "amulets" Socrates is jokingly referring to). When Persia returned for revenge a decade later, this navy was instrumental in defeating the Persians at Salamis, thus ensuring Athenian dominance of Greece until the Peloponnesian War.)

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