English summary: Axiochus, a dialogue attributed to Plato, presumably from the late first century BC, deals with the anthropologically timeless question of what happens to a human being after death: The philosopher Socrates is called to the deathbed of Axiochus, who is afraid of dying. Socrates is supposed to alleviate this fear and begins by using Epicurean arguments, which however do not convince Axiochus. It is not until Socrates uses Plato's arguments that Axiochus finally succeeds in overcoming his fear of death and ...
Read More
English summary: Axiochus, a dialogue attributed to Plato, presumably from the late first century BC, deals with the anthropologically timeless question of what happens to a human being after death: The philosopher Socrates is called to the deathbed of Axiochus, who is afraid of dying. Socrates is supposed to alleviate this fear and begins by using Epicurean arguments, which however do not convince Axiochus. It is not until Socrates uses Plato's arguments that Axiochus finally succeeds in overcoming his fear of death and he even begins to look forward to dying. In this volume, the pseudo-Platonic dialogue Axiochus is integrated for the first time philologically and philosophically into the context of the so-called Middle Platonism and the intense reception of this ars moriendi in the early modern period is examined. German description: Der unter dem Namen Platons uberlieferte, vermutlich aus dem spaten 1. Jahrhundert v. Chr. stammende Dialog mit dem Titel eAxiochos' beschaftigt sich mit der anthropologisch zeitlosen Frage, was mit dem Menschen nach seinem Tod geschieht: Der Philosoph Sokrates wird zum sterbenskranken Axiochos gerufen, der Todesangst hat. Sokrates soll ihm diese nehmen und bringt in das gemeinsame Gesprach zuerst vor allem epikureische Argumente ein. Axiochos ist nicht uberzeugt. Erst als Sokrates Argumente Platons vorbringt, gelingt es Axiochos, die Todesfurcht endgultig zu uberwinden und sich sogar auf den Tod zu freuen. In diesem Band wird der pseudo-platonische Dialog eAxiochos' erstmals philologisch und philosophisch in den Kontext des im spaten 1. Jahrhundert v. Chr. aufkommenden sogenannten 'Mittelplatonismus' eingebettet sowie die intensive Rezeption dieser 'ars moriendi' in der Fruhen Neuzeit behandelt.
Read Less
