L'AGESILAO DI SENOFONTE: FRA ENCOMIO E APOLOGIA

The present dissertation provides a commentary to Xenophon's Agesilaus, focusing on the text's literary, rhetorical, narrative and stylistic aspects. Though said to be an encomium in the words of its author, the work is basically an attempt to defend the Spartan king from the accusation of having caused the crisis and ultimate downfall of the Spartan egemony. In order to outline the apologetic strategies, by which Xenophon twists the historical truth about Agesilaus and his policies as a king and general, the text is compared with the narratives offered by Xenophon's Hellenica, especially in the “deeds” section of the encomium, whereas in the part regarding Agesilaus' virtues comparisons are made with Xenophon's works about Socrates and Cyrus the Great, as the Spartan king's portrait seems to be drawn from a Socratic perspective.