Main content
Sorry, this episode is not currently available

War engulfed much of Socrates' life. Now a young man, he must take up his sword and fight for his beloved Athens.

Written by Bettany Hughes.

Socrates lived in a city that nurtured the key ingredients of contemporary civilisation - democracy, liberty, science, drama, rational thought- yet, as he wrote nothing in his lifetime, he himself is an enigmatic figure. "The Hemlock Cup" tells his story, setting him in the context of the Eastern Mediterranean that was his home, and dealing with him as he himself dealt with the world.

War engulfed much of Socrates' life. Now a young man, he must take up his sword and fight for his beloved Athens.

Abridged by Libby Spurrier
Reader: Bettany Hughes

Producer: Joanna Green
A Pier production for 大象传媒 Radio 4.

15 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Wed 8 Dec 2010 09:45
  • Thu 9 Dec 2010 00:30
  • Wed 21 Oct 2015 14:45
  • Thu 22 Oct 2015 02:45

Listen to more Audio Books

Listen to more Audio Books

Including My Sister The Serial Killer, Queenie, The Flatshare and more.

Opening Lines

Opening Lines

John Yorke unpacks the themes behind the stories in Radio 4's weekend afternoon dramas.

Sample our books and authors Clip Collection

Interviews, previews and reviews

Subscribe to the Short stories podcast

Featuring the best stories from the UK's finest writers

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

How many of these 100 Novels have you read?

After a passionate debate, our panel has come up with this surprising literary selection.

Finding Your Story

Finding Your Story

Ten remarkable novels about identity: Which one will help you discover yourself?

大象传媒 Arts: Books

Celebrating reading and the 100 novels that have shaped our world.