Plato's brilliant dialogues, written in the fourth century B.C., rank
among Western civilization's most important philosophical works.
Presented as a series of probing conversations between Socrates and his
students and fellow citizens, they form a magnificent dialectical quest
that examines enduring political, ethical, metaphysical, and
epistemological issues.
Here, in one inexpensive edition, are six of Plato's remarkable and
revelatory dialogues, each translated by distinguished classical scholar
Benjamin Jowett. Apology defends the integrity of Socrates' teachings.
Crito discusses respect for the law. Phaedo considers death and the
immortality of the soul. Phaedrus explores the psychology of love.
Symposium reflects on the ultimate manifestation of the love that
controls the world, and The Republic ponders society and the
philosopher's role within it. Stimulating, dramatic, and always
relevant, these dialogues have profoundly influenced the history of
intellectual thought, and offer crucial insight into mystical,
aesthetic, and other aspects of Platonic doctrine.