Eryxias (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 Parmenides Theaetetus Phaedrus
Late dialogues:
Clitophon Timaeus Critias Sophist Statesman Philebus Laws
Of doubtful authenticity:
Axiochus Definitions Demodocus Epinomis Epistles Eryxias Halcyon Hipparchus Horoi Minos On Justice On Virtue Rival Lovers Second Alcibiades Sisyphus Theages

Eryxias (/ᵻˈrɪksiəs/; Greek: Ἐρυξίας) is a Socratic dialogue attributed to Plato, but which is considered spurious. It is set in the Stoa of Zeus Eleutherios, and features Socrates in conversation with Critias, Eryxias, and Erasistratus (nephew of Phaeax).^[1]

The dialogue concerns the topic of wealth and virtue. The position of Eryxias that it is good to be materially prosperous is defeated when Critias argues that having money is not always a good thing. Socrates then shows that money has only a conventional value.^[2] In an argument addressed to Critias, Socrates concludes that money can never be considered useful, even when it is used to buy something useful.^[2] The final conclusion of the Eryxias is that the most wealthy are the most wretched because they have so many material wants.^[3]

References

External links

• Works related to Eryxias at Wikisource
• Eryxias, translated with an introduction by Benjamin Jowett
• Free Audiobook version of Eryxias translated by Benjamin Jowett (LibriVox)