The Athenian Empire: 6
A cynical view
The paragraph you read in The Athenian Empire:5 is an extract from a political pamphlet preserved among the writings of the Athenian Xenophon, but not by him. The pamphlet dates to the 420s or 410s and explains to a non-Athenian why it is that those in Athens who do not agree with democracy are nevertheless unable to overthrow it. It takes a somewhat cynical look at Athenian political practices.
Xenophon was a pupil of Socrates who enlisted in the Athenian army under Cyrus in Upper Asia. He served in various armies with no preference for ties of nationality or country of preference.
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