Menexenus is a Socratic dialogue written by Plato. It is set in Athens and features Socrates, Menexenus, and an unnamed Athenian. The dialogue begins with Menexenus asking Socrates to teach him how to give a funeral oration. Socrates agrees and begins to explain the structure of a funeral oration. He explains that the oration should begin with a prayer to the gods, followed by a recounting of the city’s history and the deeds of its ancestors. He then explains that the orator should praise the deceased and their family, and finally, the orator should end with a prayer for the deceased’s soul. Socrates then proceeds to give a funeral oration of his own. He begins by praising the gods and recounting the history of Athens, from its founding to the present day. He then praises the deceased and their family, and finally, he ends with a prayer for the deceased’s soul. At the end of the dialogue, Socrates and Menexenus discuss the importance of giving a proper funeral oration. They agree that it is important to honor the dead and to remember their deeds. They also agree that it is important to remember the city’s history and to honor its ancestors.
By Plato · First published 347 · Genre: Philosophical Dialogue, Political Philosophy, Classical Literature