Product Description

Taking the form of a discussion between the hedonist Philebus, his naive disciple, Protarchus and Socrates, "Philebus" is a compelling consideration of the popular belief that pleasure is the greatest attainable good. Here, Socrates speculates on the differing intensities of both pleasure and pain; explores the notion that they can be divided into pure and impure types; considers the relationship between the one and the many; and establishes knowledge as a far higher goal. A profound argument that true fulfillment can only be achieved by the pursuit of beauty, truth and moderation, "Philebus" is among the earliest and most fascinating explorations of one of the most fundamental human questions: how to lead a good life.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #425164 in Books
• Published on: 1983-02-24
• Original language: Greek
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 160 pages

Language Notes
Text: English, Greek (translation)

About the Author
Plato (c. 427--347 b.c.) founded the Academy in Athens, the prototype of all Western universities, and wrote more than twenty philosophical dialogues.

Customer Reviews

The most readable translation of Plato I have read yet
I have read several Hackett translations of Plato and Hackett always publishes quality translations. Not only are they affordable but the introductions and notes that accompany them are always extremely helpful for understanding what are often difficult texts. Dorthea Frede's translation of the Philebus is by far the best translation of any Plato I have read. I've read the Phaedo, the Timaeus, and the Republic and found all of them to be confusing at some points and nearly impenetrable at other points. However, Dorothea's translation of the Philebus is extremely clear, even when Plato is not, and that is a great accomplishment considering the text was translated into English by a non-native speaker of the language.

I highly recommend this translation.