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A translation of Plato's "Symposium" which aims to bring this text to life for modern readers. There is also a commentary which not only discusses Plato's philosophy and the world of Greek antiquity but also provides insights into 20th-century philosophical concerns. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Everymans banquet
Plato's Symposium is, at least in my opinion, one of the best works of the Western philosophical school.
Like most of his dialogs, it reads like a novel but packs more challeges than a small encyclopedia;unless you have a vey advanced education in philo ( and perhaps even then) you will benefit from the comentaries of an expert, which is exactly what you get here.
I found the exerxise more enjoyable if you read the original for a bit and then go and review what prof R. E. Allen has to say, then reflect upon it a bit and then carry on to the end of the next section and start all over agin.
After you finish you will want to read the original again, non stop, and have a great experience all over again.
This is a great translation with inteligent comentaries, a most for anyone interested in Plato and the Socratic lore.

The place to start
This was the first book I read on Symposium, and I was glad. Later when I wanted to know more I moved on to Rosen and Dover, but if all you want to do is read the Symposium with a commentary, this is the place to start.Allen gives you just enough detail to be enlightening, without swampingyou. If you want to be swamped, read Rosen (not that being swamped isnecessarily a bad thing). If you want to be entertained, read Allen. ... Read more

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This long awaited new edition contains seven of the dialogues of Plato, and is the first in the five-volume complete edition of Plato's works in the Oxford Classical Texts series. The result of many years of painstaking scholarship, the new volume will replace the now nearly one hundred-year-old original edition, and is destined to become just as long lasting a classic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Definitive Classical Text
These Oxford editions are the definitive Greek texts for Plato's entire body of work. They are the culmination of a vast tradition of scholarly erudition. They include not only a fine edition of the texts, but also an extensive critical apparatus in the footnotes in which alternate readings adopted by other editors are listed. In effect, in this edition, you get the whole history of all other editions of Plato.

Oxford is in the process of putting out a new set of re-edited Plato's. These represent the latest trends in scholarly thought on Plato. However they do not represent any new discoveries--they are only a new set of editorial decisions by a new editor, but the same old material. The new set look quite good so far, but the older edition (By John Burnet, or Ioannes Burnet in Latin) are not rendered obsolete or out of date by this one. My personal preference is for the older Burnet edition. ... Read more

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Plato's Meno with Introduction, Translated by Benjamin Jowett. ***Special Student Edition with a separate area on each page for notes. ... Read more

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This series aims to bring together important recent writing in major areas of philosophical inquiry, selected from a variety of sources. The editor of each volume contributes an introductory essay on the items chosen and on the questions with which they deal. A selective bibliography is appended as a guide to further reading. ... Read more

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The Last Days of Socrates, written by legendary author Plato, is widely considered to be one of the greatest classic texts of all time. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, The Last Days of Socrates is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Plato is highly recommended. Published by Classic Books International and beautifully produced, The Last Days of Socrates would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Trial of Socrates
Although book was labeled as used, it was not mentioned that the front cover was pretty much destroyed. Other than that the book is fine. However, shipping took quite a while.

Free soup for Socrates!
The life and legacy of Socrates can be interpreted in many different ways, and have been so interpreted. While that is frustrating, it could be argued that it's also inevitable. The words and deeds of great men have different effects on different people. Most scholars base their accounts of Socrates on Plato's dialogues, especially the four dialogues included in this volume: "Euthyphro", "Apology", "Crito" and "Phaedo". They deal with Socrates' trial, execution and death. And no, they don't answer the eternal questions. Rather, they raise more questions than they answer. But then, that's the point!

What makes Socrates so important? The reason, of course, is his philosophy. The whole point of philosophy is to reject tradition and revelation as automatic sources of knowledge, to be taken simply on faith. Instead, human reason is paramount. True, philosophy doesn't *necessarily* reject tradition and revelation, but it does say that such sources of knowledge should be scrutinized by reason. In this sense, philosophy is subversive and radical. At least in a society gone terribly wrong... I mean, who would need philosophy if society had been perfect?

Socrates wasn't the first philosopher, nor even necessarily the "best" one. The reason why his name has been associated with the philosophical endeavour is, of course, the story of his life and above all his death. Socrates became the first known martyr of philosophy, placing his conscience and convictions above politic. Socrates showed how dangerous philosophy can be, by questioning both the oligarchic regime of the Thirty Tyrants in Athens, and the later democracy. He was the perennial dissident, the man who questioned everyone and everything. Ironically, it was the democrats who had him railroaded and executed. A warning for the future?

I don't think Socrates was necessarily a "radical" in the modern sense of that term. He seems to have mingled in high society, and some of his friends and disciples had connections with the oligarchic regime. Neither his disciple Plato nor Plato's pupil Aristotle were democrats, not even by Greek standards. Socrates didn't seem to believe that society could be changed, and therefore tended to avoid politics, except when he was duty bound as a citizen to perform political tasks (he also fought as a soldier). In some ways, Socrates actually resembled a guru. His teachings were oral, he had a circle of admirers and disciples, and he may have imparted somewhat different teachings to each of them. There are also hints at a fundamentally religious worldview, as when Socrates says that a little god or daemon were giving him advice, when he talks of reincarnation and Heaven in "Phaedo", or when he takes seriously the oracular statements of the priestess at Delphi.

Yet, by his bold questioning of established politics, ethics and religion, Socrates nevertheless showed the radical potential of philosophy and rational discourse. On a more somber note, the trial and execution of Socrates also shows that some people, even in a democracy, simply can't stand the truth.

Free soup for Socrates? Still today, many people, rulers and commoners alike, would consider that proposal to be very provocative indeed.

Yawn
I am probably alone in thinking that Socrates was a pompous windbag and that the citizens of Athens deserve a small award for putting and end to his tedious speeches. This book is pure propaganda suggesting that Socrates was a saintly figure martyred by the evil mob. They had concocted ridiculous charges of corrupting the youth of Athens and then had him convicted in a kangaroo court.

The truth is of course more complex. Athens had been a democracy. Socrates and Plato were enemies of the democracy believing in rule by the rich. After the defeat of Athens by Sparta the democratic government was replaced by an oligarchy who used repression to maintain control. It was this government that was supported by Plato and Socrates. Both were in reality traitors to their country in much the same way that Pinochet was a traitor to Chile. After the corrupt rule of Plato's friends was overthrown democracy was re-instituted and Socrates was put on trial for his role in forming the views of those who destroyed the democratic system.

Plato spent his life writing crude anti-democratic propaganda such as this book. His philosophical system of government was that of a totalitarian society run by un-elected guardians. Popper the famous 20th Century Philosopher saw him as one of the forebears of the closed society along with Marx and Lennin.

If this book is to be believed and there is no particular reason to see it as accurate or truthful then Socrates bought his own fate upon himself. He had the chance of exile and he also had the chance to suggest an alternative punishment.

Despite his role as a traitor surely Socrates deserved death because of his life spent as a tedious bore. One cannot read any of the dialogues featuring his alleged sayings without seeing contrivance and he mis-recording of his opponents. At the conclusion of this book one can put it aside and feel a certain sense of satisfaction that the people of Athens did the right thing.

Philosopher at bay
In Athens, during the fifth century B.C., the Sophists were wise men.They were not philosophers, or scientists, they were itinerant teachers.Socrates was a moralist and a religious man.Plato was forty years younger than Socrates.THE APOLOGY and the CRITO are founded on fact, shaped by Plato's artistry, (he was a poet, also).

Socrates was indicted for impiety.A public action was brought against him as a menace to society.Orators and poets disliked Socrates's influence on the young.He asserted in THE APOLOGY that the true champion of justice must confine himself to private life.Socrates received the death penalty.He did not think he should stoop to servility because he was in danger.

Death is either annihilation or migration of the soul.Crito visited Socrates in prison.Crito urged him to escape.He claimed that Socrates was throwing away his life when he might save it.Socrates argued with Crito that he had no problem with the laws and, thus, he had a duty to be law-biding.Aiding Socrates's escape would be a breach of faith.

PHAEDO is the last conversation.Socrates believed a man should be cheerful in the face of death.A love of wisdom, not the body, makes a person cheerful.Soul resembles the divine, body resembles what is mortal.No soul which has not practiced philosophy may attain the divine nature.Pythagoreans have a theory of the soul.The soul is imperishable.Friends were admonished by Socrates to just be themselves.The philosopher faced death handily.

Amazing and wonderful, the three titles are a compelling work.

How is one to rate...
...a 2400 year old work of philosophy?The question, itself, is not without philosophic interest.

Rather than presume to judge Plato, or Socrates, or Plato-as-Socrates, I will simply add my own voice to the chorus of general opinion and say: TLDoS is as resonant and, in its way, relevant, today as it was so many aeons ago.Though hardly a work of unassailable logic it is, nonetheless, a deeply thoughtful, imaginative, and passionately argued one.As I made my way through it, I had to remind myself, from time to time, that what I had before me was a work of ancient literature.Tredennick and Tarrant are to be commended for their eminently readable translation.As I am not a classicist, I cannot speak to the quality of the translation, but if the quality of the endnotes serves as any indication, I would venture to guess that the translation is first-rate.

A very complex Socrates -- as remembered, as imagined, and perhaps also as invented -- emerges from the four dialogues in TSDoS.That this same Socrates still has power to reach across the ages to confound, inspire, frustrate, entertain, and teach is as sure a testament to his legacy, and to the legacy of classical Greek philosophy, as any.

Read and learn. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (7)

Great philosophy book and perfect for a christian teaching
This book combines philosophy and christianity perfectly.I higly reccommend it as a teaching tool or enjoyment reading.

Excellent philosophy primer and intro to Socrates!
Kreeft's book is an excellent philosophy primer that anyone can enjoy, easily read, and benefit from.As a huge fan of Socrates, I was enthralled with the use of Plato's "Apology", the "Euthyphro", and the "Phaedo" as a teaching tools that will captivate your imagination and search your soul.You can really feel Socrates probing you, making you ask questions of and about yourself, profound questions, that everyone needs to confront and be confronted by.Everyone should apply the Socratic Method to their own life...it will change it forever!

This book is an easy read and you should purchase a copy, take it with you everywhere, and read every chance you get.When you finish, READ IT AGAIN!!!Let Socrates teach you that what you think you know, you really don't know.The unexamined life is truly not worth living.Let Socrates examine you and then you too will live life more fully...by asking good questions about everything.Take nothing for granted or on surface value; probe, probe, probe!

This book would be a great tool for informal chats re philosophy, psychology, religion, or even just for fun.I highly recommend it...no matter your chosen faith or the lack thereof.But get ready to be challenged!

Yes, Buy It and Read It Passionately
Peter Kreeft transmits his passion for wisdom, for philosophy, in this small book by focusing on the personification of philosophy: Socrates. Kreeft shows us how the pursuit of wisdom will lead to respectful confrontation with those who do not know but think they know. The Socratic method of respectful cross-examination is at the core of exposing the fallacies of those, as someone once said, who are always certain but seldom right. Kreeft also presents the parallels between Socrates and Jesus. You will enjoy and be inspired by this celebration of the passionate pursuit of philosophy.

Socrates from a Christian prospective
Peter Kreeft introduces Philosophy by introducing us to the father of philosophy, Socrates. He uses the Apology of Socrates to give 40 descriptions of philosophy. He shows the paradox of philosophy with such terms as foolish, simplistic and conformist. Throughout the book, Kreeft's Christian perspective comes through with comparisons of Socrates and Christ, which I think give the book a unique niche but I sure will offend some.

Introducing philosophy
Peter Kreeft has taught philosophy for over forty years. He is also a Christian. So what does philosophy have to do with Christianity? Or as Tertullian put it long ago, what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?

Well quite a bit really, according to Kreeft. For example, both are, or should be, concerned with truth, or the discovery of truth. Both are concerned about going beyond appearances and getting at reality.

Thus Kreeft thinks philosophy, properly understood and practiced, can be a real aid to the believer. This book is an introductory primer to philosophy, or more specifically, to doing philosophy. Kreeft thinks that Plato/Socrates may have been our greatest philosopher, and his works make for an excellent entry point to philosophy. (Kreeft side-steps the historical debate over Socrates, and for his/our purposes, we will simply speak of Socrates.)

Three dialogues that exemplify Socrates' method and manner are here focused on: the Apology of Socrates, the Euthyphro, and the Phaedo. Kreeft enjoys using these dialogues as they do not just talk about philosophy but they actually show us philosophy in action.

The Apology is the main text focused on. In it Kreeft tells us forty different things about philosophy and the philosophical method. As we all know, philosophy is the love of wisdom. It differs from mere knowledge, and God is its source. While God has wisdom, man pursues it. In this Socrates and biblical religion are on common ground.

Moreover, the quest of philosophy is not for truth as found in the physical sciences, but moral and eternal truths, as found in religion. Moral questions, like "What is justice?" cannot be answered by the physical sciences.

Also, belief in God and the really important things in life goes hand in hand with humility. Socrates stressed this, as do many of the great religions. Skepticism about God tends to correlate with pride, while true wisdom recognizes its limits, and is open to truth outside its limited perceptions.

And Socrates, like Jesus, was a real counter-culturalist. Indeed, both men were hated by many because of their challenges to the status quo. Indeed, both were ultimately put to death.

Of course in all this Kreeft does not equate the two great men. Socrates could only claim to be a seeker after truth, while Jesus claimed to be the truth.

A key issue raised in the Euthyphro is the connection between God and goodness. Can we be good without God? The two options presented are, 1) that God chooses what is good (Euthyphro's position), and 2) that God is subject to what is good (Socrates' position). Of course Christians tend to say that this is a false dilemma, and argue for a third position, that God's goodness is coterminous with his nature. Position one seems to make God arbitrary, and position two seems to make goodness greater than God. But the third option fully equates goodness with God. What God commands is good because it is in accord with his own good nature.

The last work examined, the Phaedo, is the story of the death of Socrates. It is also the argument of Socrates for why life extends beyond the grave, for why the soul is immortal.

The "gadfly of Athens" was put to death for his search for truth. Of course Jesus was put to death for his proclamation of truth. To refer to the earlier discussion about historicity, Kreeft reminds us that while Christianity cannot survive without Christ, philosophy can survive without an historical Socrates. Even if he is just the creation of Plato's pen, his timeless truths live on.

It was Alfred North Whitehead who once said that the European philosophical tradition "consists of a series of footnotes to Plato." No one can improve upon the greatness of Plato/Socrates. His greatness and wisdom live on. Thus there is so much we can learn from Socrates, so much we are indebted to.

He is not the equivalent of Christ, but he bears many similarities, as Kreeft points out throughout this book. And there are real shortcomings to Socrates. His insistence on the importance of the soul was as valuable as his denial of the importance of the body was flawed.

Believers need not be ashamed of nor afraid of philosophy. In its proper form, it leads us to truth. And in the Christian tradition, God is truth. Of course in a fallen world, extrnal revelation is needed to supplement internal inquiry.

But is it possible that God can use pre-Christians like Socrates to teach us much about life and even Himself? Kreeft thinks so, and this book goes a long way in showing Christians how to appreciate the beauties of philosophy. Of course in other books in this series, Kreeft shows the dark side of reckless philosophy (as in his discussions about Sartre and Marx). But here we learn of the good purposes which philosophy can serve.
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A model of accuracy and fluency, Christopher Rowe's translation of Statesman-as modified for publication in Plato, Complete Works (Hackett, 1997)-is now available in a student edition, with a brief introduction, notes, and a select bibliography. ... Read more

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The significance of Plato's Apology of Socrates is impossible to overestimate. An account of the famous trial of Socrates in 399 b.c., it appeals to historians, philosophers, political scientists, classicists, and literary critics. It is also essential reading for students of ancient Greek.

This new commentary on Plato's canonical work is designed to accommodate the needs of students in intermediate-level Greek classes, where they typically encounter the Apology for the first time. Paul Allen Miller and Charles Platter, two highly respected classicists and veteran instructors, present the Apology in its traditional thirty-three-chapter structure. They amplify the text with running commentary and glosses of unfamiliar words at the bottom of each page; brief chapter introductions to relevant philosophical, historical, and rhetorical issues; and a separate series of thought-provoking essays, one on each chapter. The essays can serve as bases for class discussions or as starting points for paper topics or general reflection.

By integrating background material into the text at regular intervals rather than front-loading it in a lengthy initial overview or burying it in back-of-the-book endnotes, the authors offer students a rich encounter with the text. Their commentary incorporates the latest research on both the trial of Socrates and Plato's version of it, and it engages major philosophical issues from a contemporary perspective. This book is not only a much-needed aid for students of Greek. It is also the basis of a complete course on the Apology. ... Read more

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The significance of Plato's Apology of Socrates is impossible to overestimate. An account of the famous trial of Socrates in 399 b.c., it appeals to historians, philosophers, political scientists, classicists, and literary critics. It is also essential reading for students of ancient Greek.

This new commentary on Plato's canonical work is designed to accommodate the needs of students in intermediate-level Greek classes, where they typically encounter the Apology for the first time. Paul Allen Miller and Charles Platter, two highly respected classicists and veteran instructors, present the Apology in its traditional thirty-three-chapter structure. They amplify the text with running commentary and glosses of unfamiliar words at the bottom of each page; brief chapter introductions to relevant philosophical, historical, and rhetorical issues; and a separate series of thought-provoking essays, one on each chapter. The essays can serve as bases for class discussions or as starting points for paper topics or general reflection.

By integrating background material into the text at regular intervals rather than front-loading it in a lengthy initial overview or burying it in back-of-the-book endnotes, the authors offer students a rich encounter with the text. Their commentary incorporates the latest research on both the trial of Socrates and Plato's version of it, and it engages major philosophical issues from a contemporary perspective. This book is not only a much-needed aid for students of Greek. It is also the basis of a complete course on the Apology. ... Read more

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Gorgias written by legendary Greek Philosopher Plato is widely considered to be one of his best Socratic dialogues of all time. This great classic will surely attract a whole new generation of readers. For many, Gorgias is required reading for various courses and curriculums. And for others who simply enjoy reading timeless pieces of classic literature, this gem by Plato is highly recommended. Published by Classic Books America and beautifully produced, Gorgias would make an ideal gift and it should be a part of everyone's personal library. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Wonderful English translation of the Gorgias
I assigned this to my political theory students last year, and learned what a fine job Arieti and Barrus have done.There are several other good translations out there; this one is more literal, but it makes good English sense nevertheless ("graspingness" and a few other awkward choices notwithstanding).

The great value of this edition, however, is the insightful scholarly introduction, the very helpful footnotes, the three appendices, and the glossary.The first appendix includes speeches from Thucydides which are relevant to the arguments about rhetoric from the Gorgias.The second one is an outline of the rhetorical principles laid out by the interloculotrs of the Gorgias, and the third is a short discussion of Socrates' use of the terms mythos and logos.The best thing in editorial materials, however, is the glossary, which offers extended scholarly explanations of key terms in the Gorgias and in Platonic philosophy generally.

On the downside: The translators have tried to show all the moving parts, as it were, of their work with the Greek text.So when they've supplied an English word not directly translated from a Greek word, they've put it in brackets.Some versions of the Bible do this as well.But the brackets are frequent and can get quite distacting at times, especially fro my undergrads I imagine.A more general concern with this choice would be: If you read Greek, you don't need Barrus and Arieti to tell you which words are direct translations and which aren't.But if you don't know Greek, you don't know what to do with this information, because you don't understand how the Greek sentence gets a long without these extra words.So it's seems like a pointless practice.Translate!And then when the readers learn Greek they can take a look at how you've done it.

Overall: a very impressive work, from two very careful and insightful readers and translators of Plato.

The Gorgias Done Right

Anyone interested in political science, Ancient Greek Thought, or Plato will want to read the Gorgias, so I will not presume to argue why it should be read, save thus: if you wish to be educated, you need books of this caliber.

Translation: Arieti and Barrus have done a conservative, literal job in giving us English for Plato's Greek, and thus there is much to praise. Occasionally the literalness seems excessive, as when they routinely insert bracketed phrases not literally present in the Greek, but I have no major complaints. Plato's style is polished and playful; the translators point out various places where he puns on different words or cracks jokes. Included in this translation are rhetorical examples taken from Thucydides; very illuminating.

Aesthetics: A pretty book. The text is well-sized and the index is helpful. The size is perfect for casual reading, for it's lightweight and compact.

Durability. As with most Focus books, quite durable. I treat my books (especially paperbacks) with kid gloves, and if you do the same it will remain in pristine condition, but it could stand up to a far greater abuse than it does under me.

Price: Quite cheap and competitive with Nichol's translation. You will get a lot of book for your buck if you buy it.

Plato: Gorgias
This is a basic text when studying the theory of composition.It is tedious times, but explains rhetoric in the form of a play with Socrates as a main character.Not a light read but definately worth its weight in proverbial gold. ... Read more

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Set immediately prior to the trial and execution of Socrates in 399 BC, Theaetetus shows the great philosopher considering the nature of knowledge itself, in a debate with the geometrician Theodorus and his young follower Theaetetus. Their dialogue covers many questions, such as: is knowledge purely subjective, composed of the ever-changing flow of impressions we receive from the outside world? Is it better thought of as true belief'? Or is it, as many modern philosophers argue, justified true belief', in which the belief is supported by argument or evidence? With skill and eloquence, Socrates guides the debate, drawing out the implications of these theories and subjecting them to merciless and mesmerising criticism. One of the founding works of epistemology, this profound discussion of the problem of knowledge continues to intrigue and inspire. ... Read more

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Founding Epistemology
Plato's Theatetus is considered the originary work of epistemological inquiry. Wittgenstein looked to this dialogue as a major source for epistemological problematics in his later philosophy, and it continues to be studied in the continental tradition as well. Socrates and Theatetus attempt to resolve the problem of defining knowledge-first by examining knowledge as a a mode of perception, then through in investigation of knowledge as correct judgment. Socrates and Theatetus give an account of the true role of 'legein' logos and speech in the final sections of the dialogue. Although nothing is resolved the basic problems of epistemology are formulated, and they remain alive to the present day.

An Early Study of Epistemology
What is knowledge?That is the issue taken up in "Theaetetus", this dialogue from ancient Greece which is one of the seminal investigations of epistemology, the study of knowledge.In the dialogue, Socrates, Theodorus, and Theaetetus examine whether everyone's individual perceptions can be regarded as knowledge, or if knowledge must consist of either a true belief or a true belief plus a rational account.

The interlocutors do not reach a definitive conclusion concerning what knowledge is, but the dialogue is still well worth reading in the English-speaking world in the early twenty-first century, a place and time in which it is hotly debated whether truth and knowledge are absolute or relative.The final half of this volume is an interpretive essay by Robin Waterfield that discusses the dialogue and its implications, in many places comparing "Theaetetus" with other Platonic works. ... Read more

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Drew A. Hyland, one of Continental philosophy's keenest interpreters of Plato, takes up the question of beauty in three Platonic dialogues, the Hippias Major, Symposium, and Phaedrus. What Plato meant by beauty is not easily characterized, and Hyland's close readings show that Plato ultimately gives up on the possibility of a definition. Plato's failure, however, tells us something important about beauty--that it cannot be reduced to logos. Exploring questions surrounding love, memory, and ideal form, Hyland draws out the connections between beauty, the possibility of philosophy, and philosophical living. This new reading of Plato provides a serious investigation into the meaning of beauty and places it at the very heart of philosophy. ... Read more

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(Par., Phil., Symp., Phdr.; Alc. I, II, Hipp., Am.) Edited by J. Burnet. ... Read more

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This interpretive introduction provides unique insight into Plato's Republic. Stressing Plato's desire to stimulate philosophical thinking in his readers, Julia Annas here demonstrates the coherence of his main moral argument on the nature of justice, and expounds related concepts of education, human motivation, knowledge and understanding. In a clear systematic fashion, this book shows that modern moral philosophy still has much to learn from Plato's attempt to move the focus from questions of what acts the just person ought to perform to the more profound questions of what sort of person the just person ought to be. ... Read more

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Better look elsewhere!
This book grew out of Annas' experience of teaching Plato's Republic to students in a course that's all about evaluating Plato's arguments for their philosophical merit. She aims for this goal so single-mindedly as to deprive herself from providing to her audience any further profits a book on Plato's Republic may provide - profits such as, fuel the reader's sheer enjoyment of reading Plato, or learn at a more accurate level what Plato's views were.

For instance, this book makes a case for Plato being a mysogynist (women-hater) and favoring dictatorship of the (almost) worst kind. Unless you happen to favor those views yourself, this won't add much to making Plato an enjoyable read for you. What's worse, however, is that the book doesn't actually spend sufficient time arguing for those interpretations, let alone addressing countervailing ones. And on that level it achieves the very opposite of what it set out to do, namely make people engage critically with a set text.

You see, the idea might have been to make people read Annas so as to engage with Plato critically. The problem however is that people who aren't critically minded to begin with won't start to become so simply by being told - a point Plato's Socrates was fully aware of but this book (apparently) isn't. Rather, what I repeatedly find in student essays on the Republic is that they swallow Annas's claims, enjoy the short lived pleasure of scoring cheap points in the game called "acing your exam essay", without ever engaging critically with either Annas or (for that matter) Plato.

To see what a vast difference an author can make to encourage readers to engage with his book critically, have a look at Burnyeat's "Theaetetus", a fine work on many levels, and an outstanding example of what writing on Plato can be without being mindless praise.

Personally I'm glad there are more rewarding books to recommend to students of Plato's Republic these days, and if you're interested at all, I suggest you have a look at the multi-authored "Cambridge Companion to Plato's Republic" (2007) and "Blackwell Guide to Plato's Republic" (2006).

A wonderful study of the Republic
What is wonderful about this study by Julia Annas is the personal tone of her writing; her profound knowledge of ancient Greek philosophy and Plato is constantly confronted with her own views as a modern philosopher of our times, at times she admires Plato and at others she is shocked by his extremism. The only other study written this clearly is Nicholas Whites' "A Companion to Plato's Repbulic."
The only thing I miss is a discussion of the literary, theatrical aspect of the text, the question being: are all of Socrates' views in the Republic really Plato's own? Is not Socrates a mask, an actor for Plato? Julia Annas automatically ascribes Socrates' views to Plato in her study. But this is of course an option that is possible, although not shared by all scholars.

A Misguided Mish-Mash of Academic Conceit.
This book is profoundly flawed. The author is oblivious to the implications of her admitted license. For instance, she uses the term 'moral' while admitting that it comes from a tradition post-dating Plato('Introduction' p.11) and uses it to smear across distictions Plato himselffound necessary. Professor Annas refuses to deal with the core concepts, ascore concepts specific to Plato's time and place, and substitutes themplayfully with her own modern day conceits. I quote: "I shall use'morality' for the area of practical reasoning carried on by an agent whichis concerned with the best way for a person to live." Why does sheneed to do this? If one was to say 'the best way to live' as Plato himselfdoes, is that not sufficent? Does the reader/student really need aprofessor to explain that Plato really means 'morality'?. Baffling is whyso much time is spent on non-Platonic terminology. To continually butcher'The Republic' with these artificial terms, such as 'moral', 'values','society', and 'state' isto assume 'we' know more than 'they' did. Thisis a historical prejudice ,and it does an injustice to the unsuspectingreader/student. Moreover, Professor Annas seems to be obtuse to thedramatic quality of the dialogue. An educated reader of this book cannothelp but think this when the author stumbles across (454d-e) of 'TheRepublic'- quoting Socrates "the male begets, the female givesbirth." Professor Annas then evaluates the statement, "This is anadmirable argument as far as it goes; for Plato has removed any possibilityof treating women as inferior as a class...but the argument suffers frombeing too generally stated" ( 'Plato's State', ch.7,p. 182 bottom).The author goes on to give her opinion on why it is too general- i.e: herconsidered views on the merits of a gender equality argument- which is fineand worth reading on it's own terms, if it was offered as such, but it isnot offered as such. This is suppost to be a book on 'Plato's Republic',thus the title. Ask yourself- is that true? Is the only difference betweenmen and women that men mount, or begat, and women bear, or give birth? Thatis what Plato and Socrates are asking? If the author of a commentary on'The Republic' does not take that question seriously, and goes on to sum upher interpretation on the dramatic episode as: "Plato isconfused." (p. 184), how can a reader take it seriously?

an excellent book on the Republic..
The Republic covers many subjects and it's not possible for someone to write a comprensive book on the Republic. Most of the book written on theRepublic usually focus on few particular subjects (the most notable one is justice). An Introduction to Plato's Republic is one of the few exception.Julia Annas doesn't interpreted the Republic from one point of view. She presented the Republic as Plato intended.. In the others words, the Republic is not the book about Politic only; it is also the book of metaphysics, educations, morality. Every chapters are very thorough and extensive but simple enough to read.. ... Read more

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Celebrating its fiftieth year in publication, GREAT POLITICAL THINKERS is an indispensable text for all students of political philosophy. This text contains portions of great works in their original form to whet the appetite and to encourage discussion within the classroom. By providing historical context and current scholarship, Alan Ebenstein builds upon the framework of influences that have shaped current political thoughts and theories. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Great Book
Great collection of essays with very thoughful commentary by authors and editors. Highly recommend, great reference book.

Great Political Thinkers: Plato to Present
William Ebenstien produced an excellent overview of political thought and Alan Ebenstien improved its brilliance. Its organization is sound and the passages chosen are very well thought out.

Ebenstien's introductions are prolific and insightful. He has a masterful knowledge and understanding of true meaning, context, and consequences of the ideas presented. I reccommend this book to anyone interested in gaining a thorough overview of politcal thought and its origins. I found this book to be clear and rich.

I also encourage Professors of Western Politcal Thought to use this book and challenge thier students to have a greater understanding of ideas, their origins and consequences. In the Hegelian way, understanding history and the context of our times is of the utmost importance. This book will serve its readers well.

great book poli sci lovers
I first read this book (not completely) just out of high school, for the purpose of a little education prior to declaration of a Political Science major. It was easy to read and concepts were easily understood. This book gives enough information to answer basic questions of Political Science as well as creating deeper more involved questions to be answered elsewhere. This is a great background book. Personally, I love the ancient philosphers and this book does a good job of using their best works.

Great Analysis as Well as Anthology
I have the 3rd Edition from college and recently returned to it to read some parts that were omitted then.The book is great because it is not only a comprehensive anthology of important political thought but it also has well-written introductions that explain what you are about to read.Since some of the writers are not the easiest to read in the original, the introduction plays an important part in understanding what you are reading.And don't worry about the price -- you are buying a lifetime reference book.

Great Political Thinkers: From Plato to Present
I purchased this book in 1975.It is the remaining text from my undergraduate days that I keep on my book shelf... a tremndous resource.

I actually took the class of the same title at UC Santa Barbara from Dr. Ebenstein himself.Back then, he was a giant in the political science field (still is) and we stood in awe of him.At the same time, he was the only professor I had there who would invite us to a brown-bag lunch each week to discuss course work and his personal experience in Europe before and during WWII.I cherish the text as a reminder of my unbelievable good fortune to have known this great scholar as well as a kind and gentle man.He and this book continue to inspire me. ... Read more

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Plato on Knowledge and Formsbrings together a set of connected essays by Gail Fine, in her main area of research since the late 1970s: Plato's metaphysics and epistemology. She discusses central issues in Plato's metaphysics and epistemology, issues concerning the nature and extent of knowledge, and its relation to perception, sensibles, and forms; and issues concerning the nature of forms, such as whether they are universals or particulars, separate or immanent, and whether they are causes. A specially written introduction draws together the themes of the volume, which will reward the attention of anyone interested in Plato or in ancient metaphysics and epistemology. ... Read more

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Adult learners of ancient Greek are often attracted to it by the prospect of being able to read in the original a particular author or genre such as Homer or Greek tragedy. But it is perhaps Greek philosophical writing and Plato in particular that is the commonest target. This book's material has been tried and tested over a number of years with adult classes, and can be used as a text book on courses leading to that goal, or as a handbook for self-teaching.

Each of 25 sections is clearly laid out with tabulation of Greek accidence (word-forms), then of syntax (grammar and sentence-structure). Each includes ample exercises and practice in reading Greek sentences. Readings in later sections consist of passages of continuous Greek from Plato's Meno. In this typical Platonic dramatic dialogue, one that is often used to introduce students to Socratic dialectic, Socrates leads Meno, a Thessalian aristocrat who visited Athens at the very end of the fifth century BC , in an exploration of the question of whether arete (virtue) is something that can be taught. By the end of the course the conscientious user will have read the first half of the dialogue and should, with the help of an annotated edition (Sharples' 2004 edn is recommended), be able to complete the Meno and move on to more ambitious reading such as the Republic. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Get this book!
Beetham is brilliant! He really knows how to get you to read Greek.Ordinarily, I'd say that Plato is a bit ambitious for the beginning student, but Beetham makes it more than manageable.Every step along the way (really, every step) he stops to give you practice.The learning vocabulary (and Platonic idioms) are used over and over again in the exercises, and the the readings from Plato themselves are accompanied by very fulsome notes. Critical for the student learning on his or her own, there is a *complete* answer key.Also, for someone who's learned Greek once upon a time and is looking for a means to recover it, there couldn't possibly be a better book.

The typesetting is not the best (a very small complaint given just how good this textbook is!), though it is worlds better than his Beginning Greek With Homer (also a very good book, BTW!).Since the paradigms in the back of the book are quite spread out, you might also want to get Greek Paradigm Handbook, for handy reference. An English translation of Plato's Meno will come in handy about a third of the way through the book, as well. The author suggests either Sharples's Plato: Meno (Aris & Phillips Classical Texts) or W. R. M. Lamb's Plato: Laches, Protagoras, Meno, Euthydemus, (Loeb Classical Library, No. 165) (Greek and English Edition).

user friendly book that makes Plato a little easier
Plato's Greek is tough but wonderful.Beetham gives you lots of support in getting to the point where you can read the Meno.His explanations are simple and his is one of the few Greek text books which includes an answer key.His font is large.One of the better Greek text books for beginners.The combination of Plato being difficult and Beetham being easy is very helpful if you want to improve your Greek .

Greek language and culture
This book is a gem! Besides the language, the author teaches Greek culture and philosophy. It's a modern book, well-paced, serious but not stern, honest and easy to follow. Very good exercises and answers are provided.
After all, in the end you'll be reading Plato, and this alone surpasses any other book on the subject! ... Read more

Product Description

Plato, the great philosopher of Athens, was born in 427 BCE. In early manhood an admirer of Socrates, he later founded the famous school of philosophy in the grove Academus. Much else recorded of his life is uncertain; that he left Athens for a time after Socrates' execution is probable; that later he went to Cyrene, Egypt, and Sicily is possible; that he was wealthy is likely; that he was critical of 'advanced' democracy is obvious. He lived to be 80 years old. Linguistic tests including those of computer science still try to establish the order of his extant philosophical dialogues, written in splendid prose and revealing Socrates' mind fused with Plato's thought.

In Laches, Charmides, and Lysis, Socrates and others discuss separate ethical conceptions. Protagoras, Ion, and Meno discuss whether righteousness can be taught. In Gorgias, Socrates is estranged from his city's thought, and his fate is impending. The Apology (not a dialogue), Crito, Euthyphro, and the unforgettable Phaedo relate the trial and death of Socrates and propound the immortality of the soul. In the famous Symposium and Phaedrus, written when Socrates was still alive, we find the origin and meaning of love. Cratylus discusses the nature of language. The great masterpiece in ten books, the Republic, concerns righteousness (and involves education, equality of the sexes, the structure of society, and abolition of slavery). Of the six so-called dialectical dialogues Euthydemus deals with philosophy; metaphysical Parmenides is about general concepts and absolute being; Theaetetus reasons about the theory of knowledge. Of its sequels, Sophist deals with not-being; Politicus with good and bad statesmanship and governments; Philebus with what is good. The Timaeus seeks the origin of the visible universe out of abstract geometrical elements. The unfinished Critias treats of lost Atlantis. Unfinished also is Plato's last work of the twelve books of Laws (Socrates is absent from it), a critical discussion of principles of law which Plato thought the Greeks might accept.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Plato is in twelve volumes.

Customer Reviews (2)

The classical Greek search for the virtue of courage
I read this book for a graduate philosophy class.The classical Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle were the midwives of Western civilization's "birth" of philosophy.Prior to the fifth century BCE classical Greek period, Greek citizens learned about virtuous actions including courage through their mythical religious beliefs, and epic poetry; such as, Homer's Iliad and The Odyssey.Thus, not until Socrates asks the question of what does the "good life" consists of do people ponder with reason and logic as their guide what constitutes virtues and how to practice them.Plato, like Socrates before him and Aristotle after him, believes in a virtue-based code of ethics where the end goal is to attain "happiness" which is understood by the classical Greeks as a flourishing" and is obtained only by performing virtuous acts.

Plato's short dialogue Laches is his literary vehicle to show Socrates exploring the virtue of courage.Socrates questions two famous Greek generals, Nicias and Laches, who participated in the Peloponnesian War, as did Socrates, in order to get at a definition of courage.The virtue of courage figures prominently in the second half of Plato's dialogue when Socrates asks both generals to define courage.It is important to note that though Socrates is the first philosopher to embark upon a search for a definition of virtue, he did not write his philosophy down.All of what we know of Socrates' teachings comes from the pen of Plato, one of his most devoted students.Laches first defines courage for Socrates by providing him three components of courage.A courageous person is "willing," "stands their ground in the face of the enemy," and "does not run."Laches' three components of courage are really just examples of the time-honored duty of Greek patriotism, which is derived out of a feeling or emotional attachment to one's country.In essence, the Greek citizen is "willing" to act out of a sense of duty to their city; "standing their ground" to protect their city from enemy attack.The citizen "does not run" in fear for their lives risking the safety of their city.Essentially, Plato's summation of these three components as spoken by Laches, is that courage comes from an "endurance of the soul."(p 34, (192c).Up to this point in the dialogue, Plato's definition of courage does not differ from the standard Homeric definition.However, when Socrates continues his questioning of Laches, he expands the scope of courageous actions to encompass perils of illness, sea travel and even into the political realm in hopes of better defining courage.Thus, Plato recognizes that there is a host of situations that requires a person to use courage to surmount whatever dangerous predicament they face.By posing the question this way, Plato through Socrates assumes that there is something else that people rely on to make them courageous.This is the real crux of the dialogue; to find out what else there is in the human condition that instills one with courage.

To accomplish this task, Plato introduces Nicias into the dialogue, who introduces the idea that it takes an amalgamation of emotions and wisdom for courage to be a universal virtue.With the introduction of wisdom into the mix, courage takes its "first step" forward from the heroic Homeric notion.For example, in the Homeric epics only aristocrats are depicted as acting courageously.It is important to recognize that by introducing these other hardships not related to war fighting, Plato is moving away from the ancient Greek Homeric model that so dominated the culture of his day.Nicias answers Laches, "Therefore, if a man is really courageous, it is clear that he is wise."(p, 38, (194d).However, when Socrates presses Nicias to explain what type of wisdom makes a person wise enough to be courageous he answers, "...it is the knowledge of the fearful and the hopeful in war and every other situation."(p, 39, (195a).Socrates is incredulous that Nicias argues that only people who can foretell future goods and evils will be able to act courageously, and for this reason, Socrates rejects Nicias' definition of courage.Socrates ends the dialogue abruptly because he sees that he is only getting examples of acts of courage in his questioning.His goal is to get to a definition, and to understand the essence of courage.With a definition, he can compare all examples of courage to it and then decide if the examples are truly acts of courage or not.In most of Plato's dialogues involving Socrates, his quest for a definition of a particular virtue ends in the same manner.At this point as in so many of Plato's dialogues, he ends his search for a definition of courage, but he takes it up again several years later in his Republic where he will introduce the element of education into the mix.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in virtue ethics, Greek philosophy, and military history.

Another useful volume in an excellent series
Like most volumes in the Loeb series, the emphasis is not on word-for-word precision in the translation, but on acheiving greater readability in broader terms. Since the original text in ancient Greek is provided on the facing page, the editors assume that anyone with a little knowledge of Greek can supplement the looseness of the translation by referring to the original. And in general, the compromises made in this way are good ones throughout the series. In this case, Lamb's translation remains sufficiently faithful to the original, especially in his Protagoras and Meno, to allow this volume to be used by the serious scholar. ... Read more

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These concise and enlightening explorations of our greatest thinkers bring their ideas to life in an entertaining and accessible fashion.Philosophical thought is deciphered and made comprehensible and interesting to almost everyone.Far from being a novelty, each book is a highly refined appraisal of the philosopher and his work, authoritative and clearly presented. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Short and Sweet
I really enjoyed this short synopsis of Plato's life. Think of these books (the 90 minute philosopher series) as a short lecture you would attend in college. Very brief, yet there was enough detail to get a high level understanding of the timeline of Plato's life and his main achievements.

For instance, I learned in this book the relationship between Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, which I had not known before. I also did not know that Plato started the first university.

This was just a taste to please the palate enough to know whether you would like to find another resource to gain more detailed knowledge and a deeper look at Plato.

I listened to this book as I don't have much time for reading since I am on the road so much. The narrator was great and the recording excellent (as to be expected from Blackstone Audio).

More about his wanderings than his wonderings.
This work focuses more on the life of Plato than on his thought. I would have preferred to have read a story of Plato, which traced the development of his thought through reading the 'Dialogues'. Strathern does provide a good background description of the time, and historical circumstances in which Plato lived. But he does not in my opinion make us truly understand why in Whitehead's famous phrase ' all of Western philosophy is a footnote to Plato'. He does not too when he approaches Plato's masterpience ' The Republic ' show why and how the search for the definition of ' justice' opens the way to understanding all of Plato's thought. He does however make it clear that the gift of Plato to the Western political tradition is a problematic one, as many find in Plato's prescription for a state ruled by a philosopher- king the kernel of the totalitarian dictatorships which were the great nightmares of the twentieth century.
I think he also does not make the reader aware of how 'Socratic ' Plato could be about Plato. i.e. how he even in presenting his own as it were ideal vision presents it in a form where it is questioned and made a subject for further doubt and question i.e. if it seems that Socrates asked the questions and Plato gave the answers, this is misleading. Plato also was primarily a provider of questions. It would be Aristotle who would give answers in accordance with the degree of precision he felt appropriate to each field of knowledge.

Plato light ....but not bland
Strathern summarizes a lot of philosophy in a short book, but at time strips the meat out.This book tries to place Plato both in the context of his time and looks at the heirs of Plato in the Neoplatonists and impacts on Christianity (I thought this was a little weak). Strathern also reveals the paradoxes of Plato's life: decrying poetry but perhaps being the most poetic of the Greek philosophers and, leaning toward totalitarianism and lack of individual freedom, but being a very unique person. Strathern gives Plato 15 pages to speak for himself with selection from the Republic (of course the parable of the cave), Letters, The Law and others.Not comprehensive but worth the time!

Very readable quick introduction to Plato
This book is not, and was not meant to be, an in-depth analysis of the philosophy of Plato. It is a very brief overview of his life and works. I really appreciated the subtle humour which made the book fun to read.

"Great Intro to the life of Plato"
This book will give anyone a better idea of Plato's life, time, ideas, and work.Although Strathern does not reflect on the concepts and work of Plato to an extent of understanding his actual Philosophy, but he rather briefly gives quotes and hints as to provide a basic overview of his outlook on the world in general.If Strathern was in fact to give a more comprehensive account of the ideas and work of Plato the whole point of compacting Plato's life into a "90 minute" book would be gone.I myself had a very minute understanding of the man Plato.But from reading this book I found a lot of useful information that broadened my knowledge of the life and times of Plato.In reading this book you will meet some people that changed Plato's life, aswell as the treasured wisdom Plato handed to many individuals and to the whole of society.So for the amount of time it takes to read the book in contrast with the valuable information accessible, I give this book four stars. ... Read more