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The Platonic Doctrines of Albinus

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There has been some dissent among scholars as to who the legitimate author is of the Platonic tractate entitled, the Didaskalikos [see, *Hershbell's intro for the Albinus argument and consult *John Dillon's Alcinous: the Handbook of Platonism, for the Alcinous position]. Whatever the case may be, this brief Platonic compendium was composed by a skillful 2nd century philosopher who believed, as a loyal disciple of the great Plato, that he was epitomizing the true teachings of his master. For the most part the author's intentions were realized, with the exception of a few elements derived from Stoic ethics and Aristotelian logic that were fused into the Platonic system here and there throughout the text. However, this was due to the disposition common to the Middle Platonic caste of thinkers, who had a slight tendency for syncretism. The tractate itself is divided into four main parts: (1) Introduction (2) Dialectic (3) Theoretic (4) Ethical. These, of course, are subdivided into the branches of learning common to each of the above classifications. Now it must be mentioned that the text is a fantastic summation of the Platonic teachings that thrived during the Middle Platonic era; and it is singularly unique because it is the only work of its kind to have survived the vicissitudes of history. Also making the Didaskalikos worthwhile is its brevity and profundity; it is conveniently compact and it explains many of the central tenets of the Platonic philosophy in an orderly fashion. Furthermore, the charming translation and the scholarly introduction bring additional value to this classic work. The price is also very affordable. Overall, the Didaskalikos will be best used as a reference to the dialogues of Plato, since this edition contains copious citations that lead the reader back to key philosophical concepts in the Dialogues.