Archelaus

Archelaus – The Unhappiest Of Men Essay, Research Paper

Question – Why does Socrates think Archelaus is the unhappiest of men in Gorgias?

Archelaus, a tyrant is presented in the dialouge as an evildower who experiences no remorse for his crimes. He lives a kind of life that objectifies unlimited power and unrestrained pleasure. Most people would look at this kind of life and say that this would be the best possible life to live: Power, pleasure, and escaping punishment for doing as he pleases. Socrates, on the other hand, thinks that Archelaus is the unhappiest of men. Hebacks his statement up by saying that if Archelaus lived a life of injustice, then he ws unhappy. A happy man is a man who is educated, just and honerable. Furthermore, Archelaus was the most unhappiest of men because not only did he commit evil acts, but he was never justly punished. He needs to experience repentence to rid his soul of evil. Since archelaus never experienced retribution, he was deeply an evil and unjust man, thus the unhappiest of men.

Bibliography

Gorgias, Plato