Product Description

The Phaedo is acknowledged to be one of Plato's masterpieces, showing him both as a philosopher and as a dramatist at the height of his powers. For its moving account of the execution of Socrates, the Phaedo ranks among the supreme literary achievements of antiquity. It is also a document crucial to the understanding of many ideas deeply ingrained in western culture, and provides one of the best introductions to Plato's thought. This new edition is eminently suitable for readers new to Plato, offering a readable translation which is accessible without the aid of a commentary and assumes no prior knowledge of the ancient Greek world or language.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #310461 in Books
• Published on: 1999-10-28
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 144 pages

Review

"An excellent philosophical commentary on the Phaedo. Lucidly sets out all the salient problems and controversies."--J.M. Dillon, University of Washington

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Greek

From the Publisher
Library of Liberal Arts title.

Customer Reviews

With Socrates at the hour of his death
Socrates, as depicted by his devoted student, Plato, is one of the true spiritual giants of recorded history, standing in such company as Jesus and the Buddha. The Phaedo preserves the moment where Socrates earned his immortality, forced to commit suicide by the Athenian democracy.

Oxford's edition is the only accessible volume to give the Phaedo the individual treatment it merits. Gallop's translation is clear, dramatic, naturalistic, and compelling. Included are an extensive introduction, an outline of the arguments of the dialogue, and copious explanatory notes, as well as a bibliography for further reading.

To hear Socrates lecturing his students on the nature of the soul and his assurance of the life to come as the moment of his execution approaches is inspiring and uplifting. As great as any Greek tragedy, the Phaedo recreates a moment where one of the greatest of men shuffles off his mortal coil and "puts on immortality." A powerful, moving, and transforming read; not to be missed!

for a starter
My reading in Plato begun with Parmenides. Which is pity, to think about it, since Parmenides is to this day considered to be one of the most esoteric. Contrast to Parmenides, where young Socrates stands up against this old thinker, Phaedo reveals old Socrates who now discusses things in fully down-to-earth terms. In fact, Socrates at this time is a dying one. And his tragic end is so well presented that it actually reads like a novel. Back to my point, this book is, I think, the most appropriate as a starter. Then you could trace back to Plato's more abstract discussions. Nowhere in Plato's works his conception of the idea is more clearly explained than in Phaedo. This also summarizes Plato's outlining of philosophy. A must-read.

Wonderful!
This book is combination of poetry and philosophy. The time before the death of Socrates and his last great teachings. It is a mile-stone in ethics. Socrates teachings can (and have been) compared to and elevated above the teachings of Jesus. Along with its ethical value, the book reads magnificantly. 'Phaedo' gives Plato his rightfull place as an all time great writer in the company of Homer, Shakspeare, and Goethe.