Hiero

Xenophon's *Hiero* presents a timeless philosophical dialogue between the celebrated poet Simonides of Ceos and Hieron, the tyrant of Syracuse, exploring one of antiquity's most enduring questions: what does true power actually cost? Composed around 474 B.C., this ancient Greek classic imagines a pivotal conversation in which Simonides seeks wisdom from a ruler who has experienced both private life and absolute authority. Through their candid exchange, the dialogue examines the paradoxes of despotic rule—the isolation of power, the burden of suspicion, and the hollow nature of tyrannical pleasure—offering surprising insights into human nature and governance that remain strikingly relevant today. Xenophon, the Athenian historian and pupil of Socrates, crafted this work with philosophical depth and literary elegance, creating a meditation on leadership that transcends its historical setting. This H. G. Dakyns translation captures the nuanced language and argumentative structure of the original Greek text, preserving the intellectual rigor of Xenophon's prose. *Hiero* is ideal for audiobook listeners interested in classical philosophy, ancient Greek thought, political theory, or anyone seeking profound insights into power and human fulfillment through the voices of history's greatest thinkers.