Eryxias is a dialogue written by Plato in the 4th century BC. It is part of the Platonic corpus, and is one of the few dialogues that does not feature Socrates as a main character. The dialogue takes place between two men, Eryxias and Clinias. Eryxias is a wealthy Athenian who has recently inherited a large estate. Clinias is a philosopher who has come to advise Eryxias on how to manage his new wealth. The dialogue begins with Eryxias asking Clinias what he should do with his wealth. Clinias responds by giving a lengthy discourse on the nature of justice and the importance of living a virtuous life. He argues that the best way to use one’s wealth is to use it to benefit others, and that the most important virtue is justice. The dialogue then turns to a discussion of the nature of pleasure and pain. Clinias argues that pleasure is not an end in itself, but rather a means to an end. He also argues that pain is not necessarily bad, as it can be used to motivate people to pursue virtue. The dialogue ends with Eryxias thanking Clinias for his advice and promising to follow it.
By Plato · First published 347 · Genre: Philosophical Dialogue, Classical Greek Literature, Philosophy