<div>In one of his last books, <i>Socrates and Aristophanes,</i> Leo <br>Strauss's examines the confrontation between Socrates and Aristophanes <br>in Aristophanes' comedies. Looking at eleven plays, Strauss shows that <br>this confrontation is essentially one between poetry and philosophy, and <br>that poetry emerges as an autonomous wisdom capable of rivaling <br>philosophy.<br><br>"Strauss gives us an impressive addition to his life's work--the <br>recovery of the Great Tradition in political philosophy. The problem the <br>book proposes centers formally upon Socrates. As is typical of Strauss, <br>he raises profound issues with great courage. . . . [He addresses] a <br>problem that has been inherent in Western life ever since [Socrates'] <br>execution: the tension between reason and religion. . . . Thus, we come <br>to Aristophanes, the great comic poet, and his attack on Socrates in the <br>play <i>The Clouds.</i> . . [Strauss] translates it into the basic <br>problem of the relation between poetry and philosophy, and resolves this <br>by an analysis of the function of comedy in the life of the city." --<br>Stanley Parry, <i>National Review</i><br><br><br><br></div>