21.7 Killing Polemarchus
<p>Among these targets of the Thirty was the family of <strong>Cephalus</strong>, who is the host of the gathering portrayed in <strong>Plato’s <em>Republic</em></strong><em>. </em>Cephalus was a foreigner from Syracuse who had migrated to Athens at the invitation of Pericles. His family ran a large arms factory, making shields. After Cephalus’ death his son <strong>Polemarchus</strong> inherited the family business. <strong>Socrates</strong> was evidently a close friend of the family. The Thirty now issued arrest warrants for ten prominent foreigners, including Polemarchus (a prominent character in Plato’s <em>Republic</em>) and his brother <strong>Lysias</strong> (who was later to become a famous speech writer). Lysias himself tells his story in a speech he delivered in a trial held after the fall of the Thirty, in which he accused Eratosthenes of crimes against Lysias’ family.</p>
<p>While Lysias was entertaining guests at his house, guards arrived from the Thirty, driving out the guests and arresting Lysias. Lysias offered a bribe to Peison, the member of the Thirty in charge of the arrest, who answered that he would help if Lysias made it worth his while. </p>
<p><a href="https://medium.com/the-first-philosophers/21-7-killing-polemarchus-d40f790c67b8"><strong>Website</strong></a></p>