Abstract

Leo Strauss highlighted how ancient authors were compelled - in order to defend themselves from the different ways of persecution - to use an 'art of writing between the lines'. Following his example, Kojève challenges Strauss himself, writing the essay "Julian the Emperor and the art of writing", in an analysis underlyning how Julian, as philosopher, should justify himself, as Emperor, when he was trying to rebuild the theological myths he didn't believe in. This subject leads to the theme of the relationship between wisdom and politics, the philosopher and the tyrant (or the man of State), in classic and modern tradition.