Xenophon Symposium

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I am writing to invite paper proposals for a panel devoted to Xenophon and Xenophon Studies which will be sponsored by the Society for Greek Political Thought at the 2007 NPSA annual meeting (Philadelphia, November 15-17). William E. Higgins, whose well-known study of “Xenophon the Athenian” was first published thirty years ago, has kindly agreed to serve as Chairperson/Moderator for this SGPT panel.

Higgins’ work appeared at a time when – with the exception of Leo Strauss – the writings of Xenophon had been largely neglected or dismissed by scholars. Within a few years, however, pioneers had emerged who studied Xenophon’s works with requisite seriousness, blazing trails and marking signposts for a new generation of Xenophon scholars. The subsequent and vital renaissance which occurred in Xenophon Studies, especially during the last decade of the 20^th century, in part due to the publication of new translations and studies of Xenophon’s Socratic writings, has (thankfully) rendered superfluous the kind of apologia that all-too-often was necessary in the prolegomena to those studies.

Since 2000, a similar resurgence in studies related to Xenophon’s ‘non-Socratic’ writings has occurred, with the appearance of numerous annotated translations [Anabasis: Ambler (forthcoming), Waterfield 2005; Lak. Pol.: Jackson 2007, Lipka 2002; Hellenika: Doty 2006; Hiero, Poroi: Doty 2003; Cyropedia.: Ambler 2001; Cynegetikos.: Doty 2001], as well as full monographs [Waterfield 2006, Rood 2005, Bearzot 2004, Azoulay 2004, Nadon 2001] and edited collections of essays [Fox 2004, Tuplin 2004]. Articles and book chapters on Xenophon's Socratic writings have continued apace during this same period, so much so that a comprehensive bibliography has become a desideratum.

In the wake of this on-going revival of scholarly interest in Xenophon, it seems an appropriate occasion for reflecting on recent developments, trends, and even future prospects – for research and publication – in Xenophon Studies. Proposals for papers which undertake retrospective or prospective reflections on the state and/or character of Xenophon Studies (in politics, philosophy, classics, or history) will be given special consideration. Proposals for papers focusing exclusively on any aspect of Xenophon’s corpus, thought, or life are also welcome, as always.

Please submit brief proposals, with contact information and academic affiliation, by June 15. For further information about the 2007 NPSA annual meeting, the conference announcement is attached. It will be necessary at some point for all panelists to register their participation on-line through the conference website. Meanwhile, in addition to sending proposals, please feel free to contact me directly with any questions related to this particular panel, or other SGPT panels.

Thank you very much, and I look forward to hearing from you: gish@ohio.edu or dustingish@hotmail.com.