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Hiero

By Xenophon

(3.5 stars) β€’ 10 reviews

A powerful ruler admits his life is miserable, sparking a debate about power, happiness, and what it means to truly lead.

Genres
Released
1998-01-01
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Summary

Hiero by Xenophon is a philosophical discussion where Simonides, a poet, talks to Hieron, the ruler of Syracuse, about tyranny. The book, written in ancient times, looks at whether a tyrant's life is actually happy. Hieron thinks being a tyrant is full of pain and less fun than being a regular person. They talk about happiness, friendship, and the problems of having power. Hieron says his rule makes people fear him instead of respect him. The book thinks about how hard it is to be a ruler and how power changes relationships.

About the Author

Xenophon of Athens was a Greek military leader, philosopher, and historian. At the age of 30, he was elected as one of the leaders of the retreating Greek mercenaries, the Ten Thousand, who had been part of Cyrus's attempt to seize control of the Achaemenid Empire. As the military historian Theodore Ayrault Dodge wrote, "the centuries since have devised nothing to surpass the genius of this warrior". Xenophon established precedents for many logistical operations and was among the first to describe strategic flanking maneuvers and feints in combat.

Average Rating
4.0
Aggregate review score sourced from Goodreads
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Total Reviews
10.0k
Total reviews from Goodreads may change