Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus (Loeb Classical Library) [Hardcover]

Plato (Author), Harold North Fowler (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0674990404 | ISBN-13: 978-0674990401 | Publication Date: 1999

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.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 608 pages
• Publisher: Loeb Classical Library (1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0674990404
• ISBN-13: 978-0674990401
• Product Dimensions: 6.3 x 4.4 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #80,931 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Useful for the specialist and the student, January 9, 2005

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J. Duvoisin "politeia" (Santa Fe, NM United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus (Loeb Classical Library) (Hardcover)

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. This particular translation is one of the more succesful in the Loeb series and manages to chart a course quite close to the original while also catching the flavor of idiomatic English.

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A necessity to any philosophy/greek student., March 4, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus (Loeb Classical Library) (Hardcover)

The mirror text offered in this book is of the most importance to any serious philosophy student. However for the mirror text to have any use you must know some Greek. The Greek text is on one side with Fowler's english translation on the other. It serves as an excellent reference whether using the Fowler translation or another translation because at any point where a misunderstanding occurs which may be due to a word choice in translation, one can simply look at the greek. It serves as a great reference for a person who takes Plato seriously and knows some Greek.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the world's classics - with an important discussion on life after death, March 23, 2011

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Israel Drazin (Boca Raton, Florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus (Loeb Classical Library) (Hardcover)

Plato's Apology is one of the most famous books on philosophy. It contains the defense that Plato's teacher Socrates offered at his trial in Athens in 399 BCE before a jury of five hundred Athenians. He was charged with corrupting the young people of Athens with his ideas and with not believing in the gods. Socrates explained what he did, why he did it, and why he was innocent of the charges against him. In his final speech, he also discusses life after death.

Many translations were made of this classic, including the famous scholarly translation in the Loeb Classical Library. The Loeb translation is very good, but it doesn't reflect the colloquialisms of modern American English. For example, the opening sentence in Loeb reads: "How you, men of Athens, have been affected by my accusers, I do not know: but I, for my part, almost forgot my own identity, so persuasively did they talk; and yet there is hardly a word of truth in what they have said."

There are other translations, such as by Steve Kostecke, "Plato's Apology of Socrates," who breaks the opening sentence into two and adds stage directions in brackets. "What you have just experienced at the hands of my accusers - and what effect it had on you, Athenians, - I can only imagine. They spoke so persuasively that I nearly forgot who I was myself because of them, ... [Socrates sweeps his arm toward the prosecution bench.] ... and yet hardly a word of truth came out of their mouths." Nevertheless, the Loeb Classical edition is excellent, easy to read, and the Apology should be understood, since it is a classic with important ideas.

In his final speech, Socrates discusses life after death. He stresses that people should not fear death. There are two possibilities. One, that there is nothing following death; it is like a sleep without dreams, as stated in the Loeb classic: "if it is unconsciousness, like a sleep in which the sleeper does not even dream, death would be a wonderful gain." People enjoy such a sleep. After a difficult day, they look forward to having a dreamless sleep. It is not something to fear. If, on the other hand, we are transported to another world where there are true judges, this too is wonderful, for if we did our best, we have nothing to fear. "I personally should find the life there wonderful." Then he adds: "no evil can come to a man either in life or after death, and God does not neglect him" as long as he does his best.