The Long Shadow of Xenophon’s Socrates: the Exemplum Socratis in Simplicius’ Commentary on Epictetus’ Encheiridion

The chapter tackles the reception of Xenophon in Simplicius by encompassing three dimensions. The first section looks at explicit mentions of Xenophon and direct references to his writings, which Simplicius occasionally incorporates into his works, for illustrative purposes. Notably, three mentions out of four occurrences are in the Commentary on Epictetus’ Encheiridion (he refers to the Anabasis in 65.22 and 90.52 and to the Symposium in 114.41), and there is a single passing reference to Xenophon’s use of “common names” in the Commentary on Aristotle’s Categories (8.25.16). The second section focuses on indirect and mediated transmission of Xenophontic conceptions that can be traced back to the prominent role that Xenophon played for Arrian and the prominent role that Xenophon’s Socrates played for Epictetus himself (as well as for Stoicism in general). These conceptions include both broader features related to Socrates’ method (Diss. 1.17.12) and his behavior during arguments (Diss. 2.12.15, 4.5.3), as well as more specific issues concerning religion (the conception of eusebeia, norms for religious practices, and the recourse to divination: Ench. 31.5, 32.3) and ethics (the role of self-restraint: Ench. 33.7). The reception of Socratic-Xenophontic ideas in the Handbook provide the framework within which to situate and interpret certain passages that constitute the final and most significant section of this study; namely, references within Simplicius’ commentary that can be traced back to Xenophon’s Socratic writings regarding Socrates’ views on traditional religion and some distinctive features of his “way of life.” One example is the discussion of divination, which outlines a set of situations in which one should avoid mantikē (109.27, 110.7–11). These situations closely resemble the examples used by Socrates in the Memorabilia (1.1.7–8). Another example is Simplicius’ reference to Socrates’ clothing in 115.48–49, which has a striking parallel in Memorabilia 1.6.2. When resorting to the exemplum Socratis in these passages, Simplicius is more explicit than Epictetus in referring to certain characteristics of Xenophon’s portrayal of Socrates. Although it cannot be asserted with certainty that Simplicius directly used Xenophon’s writings in his Commentary on Epictetus’ Encheiridion, the analysis aims to show and account for his awareness of details in Memorabilia passages that are absent in the chapters of Epictetus’ Encheiridion he is commenting on.