Chapter 5-2 NotesChapter 5-2 Notes

Greek PhilosophersGreek Philosophers

I. DefinitionsI. DefinitionsA. Philosophy: The A. Philosophy: The

study of nature and study of nature and the meaning of life. the meaning of life. It comes from the It comes from the Greek word Greek word meaning “Love of meaning “Love of Wisdom.”Wisdom.”

B. Philosophers: Thinkers who believed the human B. Philosophers: Thinkers who believed the human mind could understand everything.mind could understand everything.

C. Sophists: Professional C. Sophists: Professional teachers in ancient Greece.teachers in ancient Greece.

II. PhilosophersII. PhilosophersA.A. Pythagoras: Taught his pupils that Pythagoras: Taught his pupils that

the universe followed the same the universe followed the same laws that governed music and laws that governed music and numbers.numbers.

1. He believed that all 1. He believed that all relationships in the world could relationships in the world could be expresses in numbers.be expresses in numbers.2. He developed the Pythagorean 2. He developed the Pythagorean Theorem.Theorem.

B. Socrates: An B. Socrates: An Athenian sculptor Athenian sculptor whose true love was whose true love was philosophy. philosophy.

1. He believed that 1. He believed that an absolute truth an absolute truth existed and that all existed and that all real knowledge was real knowledge was within each person.within each person.

2. Developed the 2. Developed the Socratic Method. Socratic Method.

a. A way of a. A way of asking questions to asking questions to force his pupils to use force his pupils to use their reason and to see their reason and to see things for themselves.things for themselves.

C. Plato: A student of C. Plato: A student of Socrates. Most Socrates. Most famous work was the famous work was the RepublicRepublic..

1. He focused on 1. He focused on the ideal government. the ideal government.

2. He divided 2. He divided society into three society into three groups. (Philosophers, groups. (Philosophers, Warriors, and Warriors, and Common People)Common People)

3. He established 3. He established a school in Athens.a school in Athens.

D. Aristotle: The best student D. Aristotle: The best student of Plato. Opened a school of Plato. Opened a school called the Lyceum.called the Lyceum.

1. Taught his students the 1. Taught his students the “Golden Mean.”“Golden Mean.”

2. States that a person 2. States that a person should do nothing to excess.should do nothing to excess.

3. Made advances in 3. Made advances in science and compared science and compared governments.governments.

Most famous book was the Most famous book was the PoliticsPolitics..

4. His ideas shaped the 4. His ideas shaped the way Europeans and Americans way Europeans and Americans thought about government.thought about government.

III. Greek HistoriansIII. Greek HistoriansA.A. Herodotus: Herodotus:

Wrote the Wrote the history of the history of the Persian War.Persian War.

1. Also known 1. Also known as the Father of as the Father of History.History.

2. Attempted to 2. Attempted to separate fact separate fact from legend.from legend.

B. Thucydides: The greatest B. Thucydides: The greatest historian of the ancient world. historian of the ancient world. Most famous work was Most famous work was History of History of the Peloponnesian Warthe Peloponnesian War..

1. He actually fought in this 1. He actually fought in this war.war.

2. This work of literature is a 2. This work of literature is a primary source of the primary source of the Peloponnesian War.Peloponnesian War.

• Among fields for which Greeks best known • Greek authors wrote about and analyzed own past• First major Greek historian, Herodotus• Lived in Greece during wars with Persia; described battles and public

debates in The Histories

• Thucydides lived during Peloponnesian War, wrote about it

• Included primary sources, like speeches he heard delivered

• Looked at sources critically, ignored unreliable, irrelevant ones

Primary Sources

• Another early historian, Xenophon fought in Persia after Persian Wars

• Concentrated less on sources, debates, more on describing famous men; had less critical style

• Work has helped us learn what life was like in 300s BC Greece

Describing Famous Men

History

These two works became basis for the Greek education system.

Other Greek literature remains, with a great many works still popular today. Greeks excelled in poetry—both epics and other forms—history, and drama.

• Most famous works are some of earliest

• Epic poems of great events and heroes

• The Iliad and the Odyssey, attributed to poet Homer, tell stories of Trojan War

Homer’s Epics

Greek Literature

• Iliad tells story of last year of war, two heroes—Achilles and Hector

• Odyssey tells story of heroes from the war, with Odysseus who was forced to wander the sea

Iliad and Odyssey

Other Forms of Poetry

Greeks wrote many types of poetry besides epicsGreeks wrote many types of poetry besides epics Hesiod wrote descriptive poetry about works of gods, Hesiod wrote descriptive poetry about works of gods,

lives of peasantslives of peasants Greeks also created Greeks also created lyric poetrylyric poetry

Named after the lyre, musical instrument often played to Named after the lyre, musical instrument often played to accompany reading of poemsaccompany reading of poems

Lyric poems do not tell stories, but deal with emotions, desiresLyric poems do not tell stories, but deal with emotions, desires

Lyric poets Lyric poets Sappho, one of few Greek women to gain fame as writer; dealt Sappho, one of few Greek women to gain fame as writer; dealt

with daily life, marriage, lovewith daily life, marriage, love Pindar, late 500s, early 400s; poems commemorated public Pindar, late 500s, early 400s; poems commemorated public

events, like Olympic Gamesevents, like Olympic Games