Plato on Love: Lysis, Symposium, Phaedrus, Alcibiades, with Selections from Republic and Laws [Paperback]

Plato (Author), C. D. C. Reeve (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0872207889 | ISBN-13: 978-0872207882 | Publication Date: March 30, 2006

This collection provides the essential readings for a course on Plato's views of sex and love, or a main component of more general courses on ideas of sex and love. Featured are the pre-eminent translations of Paul Woodruff, Alexander Nehamas, D S Hutchinson, Stanley Lombardo, and C D C Reeve. Reeve's general Introduction provides a wealth of historical information about Plato and Socrates, and the sexual norms of classical Athens. His introductory essay looks closely at the dialogues themselves and includes sections on the following topics: Socrates and the Art of Love; Socrates and Athenian Paiderastia; Loving Socrates; Love and the Assent to the Beautiful; The Art and Psychology of Love Explained; and Writing about Love. A selected bibliography is also included.

Editorial Reviews

Review

This is a fabulous collection....the translations of Plato's dialogues are the best I've ever read. The introductions are very enlightening. --- Bruce Fink, Duquesne University --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

From the Back Cover

This collection features Plato's writings on sex and love in the preeminent translations of Stanley Lombardo, Paul Woodruff and Alexander Nehamas, D.S. Hutchinson, and C.D.C. Reeve.

Reeve's Introduction provides a wealth of historical information about Plato and Socrates, and the sexual norms of classical Athens. His introductory essay looks closely at the dialogues themselves and includes the following sections: Socrates and the Art of Love; Socrates and Athenian Paiderastia; Loving Socrates; Love and the Ascent to the Beautiful; The Art and Psychology of Love Explained; and Writing about Love.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: Hackett Pub Co Inc (March 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0872207889
• ISBN-13: 978-0872207882
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #109,822 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, Easy Read, October 18, 2008

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student (Riverside, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Plato on Love: Lysis, Symposium, Phaedrus, Alcibiades, with Selections from Republic and Laws (Paperback)

These approachable translations make Plato so much easier to understand and follow, and when Socrates takes his interlocutor for a logical roller-coaster, following is essential. The translations might seem elementary compared to other floral translations of Plato, but in my experience, Greek is a rather simple language, and following the word meaning and grammar literally often produces translations such as these in this book. The "fancier" translations are unnecessarily confusing, whereas these translations work just fine. The translator even goes so far as to include footnotes regarding a Greek word that might have different meanings in English, perhaps no meaning in English, and words which might have been added later by scribes who copied Plato's texts. Overall, it is a worthy buy and will allow you to read Plato, nothing more, nothing less.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars PLATO: ON LOVE (MISSION AUDIO) BY PLATO, READ BY ROBIN FIELD, September 11, 2011

By 

Betjemanian - See all my reviews

This review is from: Plato: On Love (Audio CD)

Actor Robin Field reads the "Symposium" of Ancient Greek philosopher 'Plato (c. 427-c. 347 B.C.) from The Dialogues of Plato, as translated 'by Benjamin Jowett. Plato was an Athenian, born of a distinguished 'family. At the age of twenty he became a disciple of Socrates, after 'whose death he established his own school of philosophy called the 'Academy, numbering among his pupils his great rival Aristotle. All of 'Plato's works take the form of dialogues, in which the chief speaker is 'Socrates. In the "Symposium" Plato presents his idealistic, visionary 'and impractical view that, to be noble, romantic love must not be of 'the body but of the mind, not physical but spiritual -- thus 'establishing one of the most influential dichotomies (and false 'alternatives) in the history of Western thinking. Using the setting of 'an after-dinner conversation between philosopher Socrates, poet 'Agathon, physician Eryximachus, comic playwright Aristophanes, 'politician-general Alcibiades and others, Plato explores several 'theories of love -- factual, farcical, medical, mythological -- 'including justifications for the acceptability in Ancient Greece of 'homosexuality. The work culminates in a tribute to the character of 'Socrates himself by intoxicated late-comer Alcibiades. Although 'plotless, the dialogue is so rich in characterization, imagery, comedy 'and drama, that it has many qualities of a good play. The reading is 'nearly three hours long on three Audio CDs

9 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I hate Plato!!!, March 29, 2007

By 

Little Stevie (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Plato on Love: Lysis, Symposium, Phaedrus, Alcibiades, with Selections from Republic and Laws (Paperback)

Despite my strong dislike for Plato, this translation made his writings easier to read and understand. It is very clear and modern in its language. Indeed, in no other version has any humor come through; and two professors of classical studies have commented on the accuracy of the translation. Perhaps other versions have tried for a more 'high-class' respectable sounding language; regardless, the feel of this makes it seem much more real and accessible. The footnotes are especially helpful giving complete descriptions and explanations of the people, situations, terminology, context, and helping tie together the different sections. Most of Plato's philosophy initially sounds ridiculous and fetishistic, or even to be the inane ramblings of an egocentric, self-important person who over estimates his own intelligence - and may very well be - but in this version the underlying ideas are made obvious and it becomes therefor easy to trace how these writings influenced our cultural philosophy and ideas about sex, the purpose of love, and the nature of human striving for perfection.