Dialogue in Letters: The Correspondence of Leo Strauss and Seth Benardete, 1952-1973

In the correspondence of Leo Strauss and Seth Benardete, we witness a political philosopher and a philosophic classicist share ideas with an immediacy that complements their carefully crafted published works. The exchange, which continues until close to Strauss's death, begins with Benardete writing his dissertation in Athens and Rome, while Strauss is established as a professor in Chicago. Benardete is excited to send Strauss his insights on the ILLIAD, Herodotus, or Plato. Strauss is eager to report his discoveries as he moves through the speeches of the SYMPOSIUM and later through the plays of Aristophanes. The path that leads Strauss to the comic poet, Benardete to Greek tragedy, and both to Plato is rooted in their shared understanding of the essential significance of Homer. With fewer Benardete letters available, this volume includes four pieces he wrote that shed light on Strauss's way of reading and thinking while providing keys to his own rewarding but demanding writings. Read more