Prigioniero nella città, libero dagli uomini. Leo Strauss e la tirannide

This article discusses two fundamental writings of Leo Strauss, On Tyranny (1948) and Restatement on Xenophon’s Hiero (1954). Trying to reproduce the teaching of the German philosopher, the paper attempts to expose the core concept of Strauss’ political philosophy, i.e. bios theoretikos, in order to show how the analysis of tyranny is only the starting point of a broader inquiry into the nature of political affairs and human society. The tension between the requirements of both philosophical and political life proves to be irreducible. The modern idea of a universal and homogeneous state proves to be detrimental to philosophy itself, which would be rendered impossible; Kojève’s End of History would lead then to the ultimate form of tyranny.