ABSTRACT
After this brief panorama, we should like to hazard a few observations. Most of the extraordinary diversity of works written between the seventh and fourth century BC are linked to the city. Whether they magnify its praise (like the great odes of the choral lyric, the tragedies, epideictic speeches or Herodotus’ history), relate to its life (such as the political speeches to the people), describe its crises and difficulties (as do the comic theatre, many of the harangues, or indeed the works of Thucydides or Plato), the city is the soil from which they grew. The thinkers’ eyes never stray beyond its limits. When seeking to resolve the contemporary political crisis, both Aristotle and Plato are entirely concerned with strengthening the barriers which protect the city and ensure its unity. To this extent they are always looking to the past.
