Plato's Conversation Traditional Regression From Late Works Of Lessing

In Exoteric Teaching of Leo Strauss, it refers change and regression of Lessing's thought. Lessing regressed to two tuition methods originated to ancient Greece: exoteric and esoteric writing. The traditional inherit of Plato and Socrates'tuition represent as ancient sage writing style, which is Plato's conversation traditional regression. In his late works, Lessing summed up his reflection with more sophisticated letter, which concentrated in three works:Philosopher Natan, Conversation to Fraternal Order-Ernst and Falk and Discussion on Education of Mankind. Those works have been complementary with each other, representing complete Lessing philosophy and theological trends. The three works reflected Lessing inherited Plato's writing style. The skillful usage of dramatic poetry, dialogue, fable, metaphor and other rhetorics reflected "prudence" of ancient sage。Since the dramatic part in Plato's works, the posterity praised him as "dramatic poet" Lessing had inherited his dramatic factor and integrated tragedy with comedy in the way of dramatic poetry, creating a masterpiece Philosopher Natan in German drama. In this masterpiece, he had transited sense of philosophy and theology into drama and poetry. The change and discovery of tragedy incarnated as self-discovery in Plato's works, while Lessing illustrated it as self-discovery and auto-regression of Knight Templar. Different characters represent conversations of different social images, which made the work have the whole dialogue features. The images of Natan and Sudan represented their own order: on the one hand, it is the separation of Jews and politics, on the other hand is perdition of citizens'dream with independent royalty. Conversation of Socrates was creatively used in Order-Ernst and Falk and Discussion on Education of Mankind by Lessing. Inherited of Plato's conversation way, Lessing integrated "bilateral dialogue" with "unilateral dialogue", which reflected in his late works. Dubitable language style and open final contained the thought of infinity of human cognition and continuous historical process. Lessing's works, being same as Plato, often used fable and metaphor, etc. Some of the fables were directly referred from famous trope of Plato, but the ring fable in Philosopher Natan and fable album had more traits of Lessing. In ring fable, love and truth constituted dramatic tension. The moral judge pointed out the perfect world image after ten thousand years. The ring fable not only advocated equal religion myth of three religions, but embodied political consideration in Lessing's late life. As mutual language of poetry and philosophy, metaphor was used in philosophical conversation by Plato, which was originated from poetical language. The skilled metaphor technique and rich target domain became inherited foundation of Lessing. As the usual target domain of Plato, firelight and sun represented human are pursuing kind. Rational light and enlightenment light were metaphor of rational intension of Lessing. Construction technique and autonomous ant community were metaphor about nation. Construction technique exhibited technique of religion and politic, as well as opposition and integration technique of theology and regality. The ant community is the predicted future of Lessing in Discussion on Education of Mankind-autonomy with sense.Through study of Lessing's complex thought and writing style, this paper discussed his origination and inheritance of classical philosophy, learned the method of thinking and writing, and discussed realistic significance of regressing tradition in that way.