The Esoteric Plato

In this episode of The Secret History of Western Esotericism Podcast, Earl Fontainelle delves into the question of whether Plato was an esoteric thinker. He begins by defining esotericism and differentiating it from mere secrecy, focusing on the idea of privileged wisdom. The episode explores the historical perception of Plato's esotericism, noting a consensus from the 1st century BCE to the 20th century that Plato concealed deeper meanings within his dialogues. Fontainelle discusses the rise of Platonism and esoteric reading, examining the evidence for and against Plato's intentional esotericism, including his use of literary masks, critique of the written word, and the account of the Platonic Lecture on the Good. The episode concludes by touching on the modern academic debate between esoteric and anti-esoteric interpretations of Plato, setting the stage for an upcoming interview with Professor Peter Strzok on ancient esoteric hermeneutics.