All of the readings for this class will be primary texts from ancient philosophers discussing friendship and related topics. We will be working through the texts, thinkers, and schools in roughly chronological order.

Week 1

• Plato, the Lysis
• Plato, the Republic (selections from book 1)

Week 2

• Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics book 8

Week 3

• Aristotle Nicomachean Ethics book 9
• Aristotle, Eudemian Ethics book 7

Week 4

• Epicurus, Principal Doctrines & Vatican Sayings
• Lucretius, On The Nature of Things (selections)
• Cicero, On The Ends, book 1 (selections)

Week 5

• Cicero, On Friendship

Week 6

• Seneca, Letters 3, 6, 9, 19, 35, 45, 48, 63, 66, 74, 109

Week 7

• Seneca, On Benefits, books 1-4

Week 8

• Seneca, On Benefits, books 5-7

Week 9

• Plutarch, How to Tell A Flatterer From A Friend
• Plutarch, On Having Many Friends

Week 10

• Dio Chrysostom, Discourses 1, 3, 12, 38, 74

Week 11

• Epictetus, Discourses 1.11, 1.23, 2.10, 2.22, 3.4, 3.7, 3.13, 3.22, 3.24, 4.5

Week 12

• Lucian, Toxaris
• Lucian, The Parasite