Halcyon (dialogue)

Part of the series on: The dialogues of Plato

Early dialogues:

Apology – Charmides – Crito

Euthyphro – First Alcibiades

Hippias Major – Hippias Minor

Ion – Laches – Lysis

Transitional and middle dialogues:

Cratylus – Euthydemus – Gorgias

Menexenus – Meno – Phaedo

Protagoras – Symposium

Later middle dialogues:

Republic – Phaedrus

Parmenides – Theaetetus

Late dialogues:

Clitophon – Timaeus – Critias

Sophist – Statesman

Philebus – Laws

Of doubtful authenticity:

Axiochus – Demodocus

Epinomis – Epistles – Eryxias

Halcyon – Hipparchus – Minos

On Justice – On Virtue

Rival Lovers – Second Alcibiades

Sisyphus – Theages

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Halcyon (Ancient Greek: Ἀλκυών) is a short dialogue with the distinction of being attributed in the manuscripts to both Plato and Lucian, although the work is not by either writer.^[1] Favorinus, writing in the early 2nd century, attributes it to a certain Leon.^[2]

In the dialogue, Socrates relates to Chaerephon the ancient myth of the Halcyon, a woman transformed into a bird forever searching the seas in lament. The conversation is conducted in the port of Phaleron, also the narrative setting of Plato's Symposium. Socrates advocates epistemological humility for mortals in light of the gods' abilities.

The text was included in the 1st century CE Platonic canon of Thrasyllus of Mendes, but had been expunged prior to the Stephanus pagination and is thus rarely found in modern collections of Plato, although it appears in Hackett's Complete Works. It is often still included among the spurious works of Lucian.^[3]

Notes