Answer

According to Socrates, Alcibiades is facing two main problems. The first problem results from his personality which is coupled by high mindedness. He is an ambitious, rich, and handsome youth of noble birth. He is revered by his peers and everyone else. Alcibiades also has connections with the leader of the Athenian state known as Pericles^[1]. Because of his stature, he is an egoistic person who has pushed away all his admirers except Socrates who continuously pursues him until he influences his understanding of philosophy.

By interacting with Socrates, the reader gains a deeper understanding of the second problem facing Alcibiades. Apart from being cold towards his admirers, Alcibiades admits to not knowing or learning about the essence of politics, war, and peace. These topic is connected to subtopics such as knowledge and nature of justice. From his interactions with Socrates, the reader is made to understand that Alcibiades is not properly educated as the rulers of the rival kingdoms. It is at after realizing the importance of knowledge that Alcibiades accepts to be mentored by Socrates. Through Socrates guidance, Alcibiades transformed into becoming a leader who ruled and made judgment according to Athenian laws. Guided by this illustration, Alcibiades suffers two main problems; being cold towards admirers and lacking knowledge on politics, peace, and war, in addition to justice and expediency.

Alcibiades problems can be summarized using the topic, ethical and good living. From this heading, it is relatable that Epictetus talks intensively about the human mind and how best to control it. He expresses the primary concept of stoicism which encourages people to focus only on changing the things they can control. Epictetus would recommend that Alcibiades learns to discern the things that are within his control and those that are not. For instance, Epictetus uses the terms ‘prohairetic’ and ‘aprohairectic’ to infer to the terms choice and having no choice respectively^[2]. Alcibiades has to understand that the things within his powers to influence or choose include desires, dislikes, likes, and opinions. On the other hand, aprohairectic things include those outside his control such as power, possessions, bodies, and glory. According to Epictetus, the external things cannot exclusively be classified either good or bad. However, he advises that all that Alcibiades can do is control the opinions he forms of these externals. Secondly, Epictetus seconds Socrates by noting that living a virtuous life is good. He insists that Alcibiades can only embrace virtue through gaining self-knowledge and ridding himself of the ignorance about policies, war, peace, and justice. In regard to virtue, Epictetus insists that people can only harm themselves through bad choices. He advises that rather than hate or despise others, people should instead evaluate their own shortcomings and faults. Through these sentiments, it is notable that Epictetus recommends that Alcibiades takes over control of his actions and thoughts rather than letting ‘externals’ control him.

Seneca writes extensively about political life, justice, and choice. His philosophical literature on stoicism could be helpful in recommending how Alcibiades solves his problem. Just like Epictetus, Seneca advises Alcibiades that he cannot control externals, but rather, control how he responds to them^[3]. He also emphasizes that virtue is essential for personal happiness as it makes someone resilient to misfortunes. In yet another writing, Seneca warns Alcibiades against high-headedness by noting that – ‘…remember that he whom you refer to as slave came from the same stock, lives under the same skies, and lives on equal terms by living, breathing, and dying. These sentiments could be helpful in guiding the Alcibiades actions in future as a politician and a general.

[1] Helfer, Ariel. Socrates and Alcibiades: Plato’s Drama of Political Ambition and Philosophy. University of Pennsylvania Press, 2017.

[2] Sellars, John. “Socratic Themes in the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius.” In Brill’s Companion to the Reception of Socrates, pp. 293-310. Brill, 2019.

[3] Schofield, Malcolm. “Seneca on Monarchy and the Political Life: De Clementia, De Tranquillitate Animi, De Otio.” The Cambridge Companion to Seneca (2015): 68-81.