Socrates is a name that most of us know, even if only tangentially. We’ve probably all heard of the “Socratic method” of teaching. Many of us also know of Pericles, the great Athenian general who lead their armies in their various wars – including those against Sparta.
But Aspasia? Not as many of us have heard of her.
Yet, her influence – on BOTH Socrates and Pericles – had a huge impact.
In fact, we can realistically trace the genesis of Western thought – as expressed in that Socrates-Plato-Aristotle lineage – back to Socrates’ interactions with Aspasia.
Similarly, if we look at Pericles, we find that his greatest legacy – the notion of democracy, as we perceive it today – is likely sourced from his interactions with Aspasia, who was first his mistress, and then his common-law wife.
Resources and References
Tareen, Zeynep. 2022. “Eleusinian Mysteries: The Secret Rites No One Dared Talk About.” The Collector (Feb. 18, 2022). (Accessed Dec. 11, 2023; available online at The Collector.)