The Trial and Death of Socrates: Four Dialogues (Dover Thrift Editions) [Paperback]

Plato (Author), Benjamin Jowett (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Dover Thrift Editions | Publication Date: February 5, 1992

Among the most important and influential philosophical works in Western thought: Euthyphro, exploring the concepts and aims of piety and religion; Apology, a defense of the integrity of Socrates' teachings; Crito, exploring Socrates' refusal to flee his death sentence; and Phaedo, in which Socrates embraces death and discusses the immortality of the soul.

Editorial Reviews

Language Notes

Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Greek

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 14 and up
  
• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; Underlining edition (February 5, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486270661
• ISBN-13: 978-0486270661
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #6,353 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 The death of a man of honour, January 7, 2004

By 

Roberto P. De Ferraz "ferraz9" (Sao Paulo, Brazil) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Trial and Death of Socrates: Four Dialogues (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

The Greek philosopher Socrates is the the acknowledged Founding Father of Philosophy. Born in Athens circa 470 BC, in the time of its apogee, Socrates lived a poor life, not paying any tribute to the so-called frivolities and luxuries of life, thus irritating his many foes, which took monetary advantage of their philosophical practice. The great Socrates had Plato as his most dedicated disciple, among others, who set himself to write down all Socratic discourses, thus preserving to posterity the very special way of thinking Socrates had, known as "maieuthics". Socrates did not leave to posterity any written document of his handwriting, and that is why that the dedication Plato had to him was important to us. It is something like the work of a match who kindles a very beautiful candle.

Socrates was the son of a midwife and a sculptor and his very particular philosophical method was performed by means of very well-formulated questions, that showed that the answers to the questions asked were already there at the very first time, and only had to be delivered out of the inner self by means of philosophical questioning, something akin to the help a mid-wife does to a pregnant woman in her labours prior before the baby is born.

In my opinion, the most important part of this small booklet is the Apology of Socrates, where the wisest of all men shows to the tribunal that the only superiority he had over his accusers was that he did not pretend to know anything at all, while his accusers boasted a knowledge they did not have. The ideals formulated or used by Socrates ("Know thyself") were later adopted by the Christian religion and evidenced a man in a inner struggle with his internal "daemon", a word which originally had quite another meaning than the modern one, and showed a man with a great coherence in life and, as Nietzche said, most important, a coherence in the face of death, cause to death he was sentenced by his accusers, who were, as predicted by Socrates, to be ruined after his death.

Plato is the apparent heir of the socratic tradition and in this small opus pays his tributes to the master of his youth.
I hope you enjoy the book as much as I did.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Great Translation, March 11, 2007

By 

Matt (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trial and Death of Socrates: Four Dialogues (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

This translation by Benjamin Jowett, a great translator of Plato's works, is the one you want to get if you are mostly concerned with beauty and elegance in a translation. There are other translations that are more accurate, but none more elegant and beautiful than Jowett. This translation was finished in the 19th century; it is the most famous of all Plato translations, although there are numerous other translations available today. (You will be able to find critics that love and hate each translator, so it is up to you to get the one that you think is most true and, if you are like me, most beautiful.) Here is a translation comparison of the same lines of a few different translations so you can see the difference:

(From the "Apology")

Tredennick:

"Well, now it is time to be off, I to die and you to live; but which of us has the happier prospect is unknown to anyone but God."

Jowett:

"The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways--I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows."

Rouse:

"And now it is time to go, I to die, and you to live; but which of us goes to a better thing is unknown to all but God."

Just so you know, the Jowett translation is a public domain text (finished in the late 19th century) that you can find on the internet if you don't want to buy it; but it only costs pennies, so go ahead and buy the book so you can make your notes in the margins...and also so you don't have to stare at a computer screen for hours.

Some links to other versions that feature the Jowett translation:
Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo (Great Books in Philosophy)

Six Great Dialogues: Apology, Crito, Phaedo, Phaedrus, Symposium, The Republic (Thrift Edition)

***It is generally agreed upon that the most accurate translation of Plato are the Grube translations. Here is a link: Plato Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Plato and Socrates and the Immortality of the Soul., September 12, 2004

By 

zonaras (Jimbo's House of Pie) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Trial and Death of Socrates: Four Dialogues (Dover Thrift Editions) (Paperback)

This edition of _The Trial and Death of Socrates_ contains Plato's four famous dialogues between Socrates and his friends and detractors before the noteworthy philosopher was condemned to death by the Athenian tribunal in ancient Greece. I find this topic of interest because of the close relationship between Platonic thought and early Christian philosophy during the period of roughly 250-750 A.D. when the fundamentals of Christian doctrine were formed. It is clear from a reading of this series of texts why Plato, although a pagan preceding Christ for several hundred years, was very popular among Christian prelates, monks, polemicists, theologians and philosophers. The texts make somewhat awkward reading because they are presented in the forms of dialogue between Socrates and his friends and detractors and thus Plato does not have to express unequivocally what his own opinions are regarding the debates. The first text discussed in this volume is entitled "Euthyphro" and discusses the nature of piety. Here Plato has Socrates question many of the concepts associated with the polytheistic worship and piety of ancient Athens. Socrates' famous "Apology" is a treatise against the accusations of the courts of Athens. Socrates argues for the fact that only God is ultimately the source of wisdom and in all his interactions with fellow poets, artists, philosophers, statesmen, etc., he has not found true wisdom, at least not any wisdom that he himself does not already possess. In "Crito" Socrates debates with those among his followers who entreat him to flee Athens and take up refuge in a safer city. "Phaedo" contains the account of Socrates' last dialogue and concludes with Socrates' death by consuming hemlock poison as ordered by the Athenian court. Socrates explains that he does not fear death because the physical things of this world are impermanent and only the soul is ultimately immortal. Death is in fact an improvement in man's condition and he advocates a type of otherworldly asceticism (disdaining external appearances, food, clothing and human love) as the true path for the philosopher who wants to understand and contemplate the nature of reality in a pure fashion. The body dies and the soul is immortal and therefore the most important thing is to attend to the metaphysical realities while in this life. Socrates argues, among other things, that the soul is pre-existent of the body, a concept which was taken up later by the Christian philosopher Origen and later condemned as heresy. He also believes in a concept of the afterlife where the soul is either punished for wrongdoing or rewarded for good. Some souls go through a process of purification before they can advance, similar to the Roman Catholic doctrine of Purgatory. _The Trial and Death of Socrates_ is an excellent read about an important figure in the history of religion and philosophy, especially as it shows the mindset of one who was willing to die for his beliefs (martyrdom). Not all of Plato and Socrates ideas were adopted by the Church but despite certain discrepancies they were nonetheless influential.