In "A Visit from Alcibiades", Machado de Assis narrates the curious invocation of the famous Athenian, who appears in the author's office for a witty dialogue. Between ironies and provocations, Alcibiades comments on politics, morals, and customs, revealing the contradictions between glory and vice. The encounter turns into a refined satire on human vanity and the fragility of the great names of history.