The “Lesser Hippias” or “Hippias Minor” dialogue is a performed dialogue, not a framed or narrated dialogue, and it begins en media res. Hippias, the famed sophist from Elis in the northwest Peloponnese, has apparently just delivered a beautiful series of speeches (or an “exhibition”) on Homer and the poets, pleasant…
Month: September 2019
After Impressionism: Henri Matisse
The story of Impressionism is broad and varied, like the Impressionist style. Was Matisse a true Impressionist in the same way Monet was? Perhaps not. However, his work is certainly a descendant of Impressionism. Less like van Gogh, and more like Picasso, Matisse is one of the great founders of…
The Problem of Rhapsody in Plato’s Ion
Both Plato and Xenophon share a common criticism of the rhapsodes as empty-headed memorizers of the great poets. In the Ion, Socrates meets Ion, an ordinary rhapsode. Socrates appears to initiate the conversation with Ion at the outset. Ion reveals himself to be a self-satisfied person, he knows who he is…
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) Review
Silver Linings Playbook (2012) Director: David Russell ★★★★★ Silver Linings Playbook is a surprisingly charming film, despite showing all the trappings of being another recycled romantic comedy. It bears a unique sense of dark humor, providing a new twist on romance in modern America. Jennifer Lawrence (winner of Best Actress) and…