El concepto de hetaíros en la Carta séptima de Platón: la importancia de una compañía adecuada

Abstract

In this work the topic of friendship is considered as the main subject in Plato’s Seventh Letter. Among the different terms used to refer to this conception, it is essential to understand hetaíros (“companion”) in order to make a suitable interpretation of its meaning within the letter. So I will recover the distinction made by Plato among companion-friend, companion-relative and companion-fellow to determine the use of hetaíros in the text. Through a synchronic reading I discover a double triadic structure which defines the meaning and relevance of hetaíros within the argumentative structure of the letter.