Platone e l’”utopia democratica”? (Considerazioni su Menesseno, Timeo 20e-24e e Crizia)

Plato’s Menexenus and Critias, very different from other Platonic Dialogues, are devoted the first to exhibit an epitaphios logos recited by Socrates and the second to the fascinating history of an ancient and « mythical » war between Athens and Atlantis. We can find many links between them and check the hypothesis that Plato repeatedly experienced various ways and techniques, included utopian elements, in order to stir up a debate on contemporary Athens.Furthermore, recognizing utopian features in Menexenus becomes a new and promising way to a better understanding of a very puzzling Dialogue : a fruitful ambiguity (besides hyperbole and parody) marks many passages, so that a same statement can suggest antithetic interpretations. Plato criticizes, throughout the Menexenus, the epitaphios logos and the public burial rites in Athens just because they are an occasion to celebrate its democratic system. However he does not condemn the basic idea to celebrate the polis, and with Critias he wrote following an « epitaphic style » the record of the victory of Athens over Atlantis.