Leading the Party, Leading the City
Leading the Party, Leading the City
The Symposiarch as politikos
Plutarch’s description in Table Talk of a symposiarchos or leader of a dinner party (Quaestiones Conviviales 1.4, 620A–622B) offers many similarities to the political leader described in Praecepts for Politicians. Both aim at reducing division and rivalry and encouraging concord. It is desirable that the guests know each other and the host: problems may arise when one guest invites another unknown to the host, or especially when a prominent person, such as a Roman official, arrives with a whole retinue. In these cases the risk of offence or ill-temper is greater. The symposiarch himself should be sympotkotatos, devoted to the symposium and the friendship and concord of its participants. Politics is to be avoided as a subject, as all mockery and insult. In the ninth book, Plutarch’s teacher Ammonius is an admirable leader, carefully regulating the party with conversation and music. Plutarch stresses that neither a city nor a party is ever in a stable state: the leader must always exercise constant care.
Keywords: Plutarch, Table Talk, dinners, Quaestiones conviviales, symposium, concord, guests, conversation, statesman, Praecepts for Politicians
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