Dialogues · Character
Menexenus
A young Athenian friend of Socrates, eager and talkative, who becomes the pretext for a funeral oration that quietly mocks the genre it performs.
supporting
Also known as the more talkative Menexenus, O Menexenus, Menexenus Truly, Socrates O Menexenus
First appearance: Lysis
As a supporting figure in Dialogues, Menexenus is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A friend of Lysis who participates in the dialogue.
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Menexenus is the kind of young man Socrates enjoys teasing: earnest, impressionable, and pleased to be included in serious conversation. When he asks Socrates to deliver a funeral speech, he gets more than he bargained…
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The fuller portrait of Menexenus sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Menexenus in LysisCharacter Web
5 connectionsA slice of how Menexenus sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Extended Cast of Dialogues
- Philosophers and Interlocutors
- Protagonist
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Open in readerNarrative arc
Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
In this excerpt, the dramatic climax occurs when Erasistratus’s boastful praise of the Syracusan envoy’s immen…
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Menexenus appears across 4 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Menexenus unlock in the free preview.
See Menexenus in Lysis