I. THE VIDEO CASSETTE OF ATHENS AND ALBERTO KNOX (p. 73 ff) PRESENTS ANOTHER IMPROBABILITY:

SOME EVENTS IN THE NOVEL APPEAR AS YET NOT TO MAKE 'SENSE.' HOW CAN ALBERTO BE IN ATHENS? BUT THINK OF THE DIALECTIC. WHAT MUST WE DO? A GOOD IDEA MIGHT BE TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN READING, THE RATHER SUBSTANTIAL SERIES OF APPARENT IMPOSSIBILITIES THE NOVEL PRESENTS. SO FAR:

1. mysterious post cards from?
2. the Sophie and Hilde connection
3. the red scarf with Hilde's name on it
4. a dog bringing notes and lessons
5. and now Athens and the VCR

...THERE WILL BE MANY MORE TO COME.

A. THE PHILOSOPHICAL IDEAL: RECALL PLATO.

B. IN WHAT SENSE DO THE PARTHENON AND ACROPOLIS EXIST NOW AS THEY DID IN THE 5TH CENTURY BCE?

C. THE VOCABULARY OF ATHENS: POLITICS, DEMOCRACY, HISTORY, PHYSICS, LAW, ETHICS, PHILOSOPHY.

D. SOPHIE IS TRANSPORTED TO ATHENS OF THE FIFTH CENTURY, BUT WE KNOW SUCH IS NOT POSSIBLE. OBSERVE THAT ONE OF THE TOURISTS HAS A SIGN THAT SAYS....? (P. 73), BUT THE PURPOSE OF THIS LESSON IS THAT SOPHIE MUST LEARN TO THINK HOW? HINT: REMEMBER THE RABBIT (P. 73).

E. PLATO HAS FOUR TASKS FOR SOPHIE: (What is the PROJECT here?)--RECALL THE DOCTRINE OF THE FORMS. SEE THE PREVIOUS CHAPTERS ON THE DIVIDED LINE, CAVE ALLEGORY AND THE FORM OF THE GOOD.

a. CAN YOU MAKE 50 IDENTICAL COOKIES?
b. ARE ALL HORSES PHYSICALLY THE SAME?
c. DOES MAN HAVE A SOUL?
d. ARE MEN / WOMEN EQUALLY SENSIBLE?

II. WHAT HAPPENED?

III. HAD SOPHIE BEEN TO ATHENS? DID SHE REALLY SEE PLATO?

IV. REFER TO CHAPTER 7 FOR NOTES AND PRIMARY SOURCES FOR PLATO.

AS NOTED FOR OTHER CHAPTERS, CHECK PROJECT PERSEUS AND SUPPLEMENTARY READINGS, SECTION TWO ESPECIALLY FOR AN OUTLINE OF ESSENTIAL IDEAS FOR THE GOLDEN AGE OF ATHENS, WITH LINKS TO OTHER SITES.