Hiero
by Xenophon
- Reading level
- Plain English
- Price
- Free
About the book
"Hiero" by Xenophon is a dialogue written around 474 BC. Set as a conversation between Hiero, tyrant of Syracuse, and the poet Simonides, it explores whether a tyrant's life is truly more pleasant than a commoner's. Drawing from experience in both positions, Hiero challenges common assumptions about power and happiness, revealing the hidden miseries of tyranny—the violence, fear, and impossible longing for genuine love and praise that trap rulers in their positions.
- Classical literature
- Hieron I, Tyrant of Syracuse, -467 B.C. or 466 B.C.
- Simonides, approximately 556 B.C.-467 B.C.
- Dialogues, Greek
- Despotism
- Syracuse (Italy)
Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #1175. Hiero on Wikipedia.
