Plato’s Ion: An Interpretation with a Sociopolitical Perspective

Abstract

Ion is probably the most underappreciated dialogue of Plato. Its conventional interpretation focuses on his criticism of artistic creation, that is viewed as the result of divine inspiration and occurs outside the artist’s awareness. I propose that Ion possesses an additional important value, as a form of social criticism: By disengaging the poet from the reciter, Plato targets specifically the latter, and his position in the society, but not the former that is spared from the philosopher’s criticism. Poet’s divine inspiration is just a metaphor for exceptional creativity which is used by the reciter for his personal benefits.