Dialogues

Dialogues

By Plato.

Translated by Benjamin Jowett.

Table of Contents

1. Titlepage
2. Imprint
3. Dedication
4. Preface to the First Edition
5. Preface to the Second and Third Editions
6. Note
7. Dialogues
   1. Charmides
      1. Introduction
      2. Charmides
   2. Lysis
      1. Introduction
         1. Some Questions Relating to Friendship
      2. Lysis
   3. Laches
      1. Introduction
      2. Laches
   4. Protagoras
      1. Introduction
      2. Protagoras
   5. Euthydemus
      1. Introduction
      2. Euthydemus
   6. Cratylus
      1. Introduction
      2. Cratylus
   7. Phaedrus
      1. Introduction
         1. On the Decline of Greek Literature
      2. Phaedrus
   8. Ion
      1. Introduction
      2. Ion
   9. Symposium
      1. Introduction
      2. Symposium
   10. Meno
       1. Introduction
          1. On the Ideas of Plato
       2. Meno
   11. Euthyphro
       1. Introduction
       2. Euthyphro
   12. Apology
       1. Introduction
       2. Apology
   13. Crito
       1. Introduction
       2. Crito
   14. Phaedo
       1. Introduction
       2. Phaedo
   15. Gorgias
       1. Introduction
          1. The Myths of Plato
       2. Gorgias
   16. Republic
       1. Introduction and Analysis
       2. The Republic
          1. Book I
          2. Book II
          3. Book III
          4. Book IV
          5. Book V
          6. Book VI
          7. Book VII
          8. Book VIII
          9. Book IX
          10. Book X
   17. Timaeus
       1. Introduction and Analysis
          1. § I
          2. § II
          3. § III
          4. § IV
          5. § V
          6. § VI
          7. § VII
          8. § VIII
       2. Timaeus
   18. Critias
       1. Introduction and Analysis
       2. Critias
   19. Parmenides
       1. Introduction and Analysis
       2. Parmenides
   20. Theaetetus
       1. Introduction and Analysis
          1. On the Nature and Limits of Psychology
       2. Theaetetus
   21. Sophist
       1. Introduction and Analysis
       2. Sophist
   22. Statesman
       1. Introduction and Analysis
       2. Statesman
   23. Philebus
       1. Introduction and Analysis
       2. Philebus
   24. Laws
       1. Introduction and Analysis
          1. The Preamble
          2. Excursus on the Relation of the Laws of Plato to the Institutions of Crete and Lacedaemon and to the Laws and Constitution of Athens
       2. Laws
          1. Book I
          2. Book II
          3. Book III
          4. Book IV
          5. Book V
          6. Book VI
          7. Book VII
          8. Book VIII
          9. Book IX
          10. Book X
          11. Book XI
          12. Book XII
8. Appendix
   1. Appendix I
      1. Lesser Hippias
         1. Introduction
         2. Lesser Hippias
      2. First Alcibiades
         1. Introduction
         2. First Alcibiades
      3. Menexenus
         1. Introduction
         2. Menexenus
   2. Appendix II
      1. Second Alcibiades
      2. Eryxias
         1. Introduction
         2. Eryxias
9. Endnotes
10. Colophon
11. Uncopyright

Imprint

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To my former pupils
in Balliol College
and in the University of Oxford
who during fifty years
have been the best of friends to me
these volumes are inscribed
in grateful recognition
of their never failing attachment

Preface to the First Edition

The Text which has been mostly followed in this Translation of Plato is the latest 8vo. edition of Stallbaum; the principal deviations are noted at the bottom of the page.

I have to acknowledge many obligations to old friends and pupils. These are:⁠—Mr. John Purves, Fellow of Balliol College, with whom I have revised about half of the entire Translation; the Rev. Professor Campbell, of St. Andrews, who has helped me in the revision of several parts of the work, especially of the “Theaetetus,” “Sophist,” and “Politicus”; Mr. Robinson Ellis, Fellow of Trinity College, and Mr. Alfred Robinson, Fellow of New College, who read with me the “Cratylus” and the “Gorgias”; Mr. Paravicini, Student of Christ Church, who assisted me in the “Symposium”; Mr. Raper, Fellow of Queen’s College, Mr. Monro, Fellow of Oriel College, and Mr. Shadwell, Student of Christ Church, who gave me similar assistance in the Laws. Dr. Greenhill, of Hastings, has also kindly sent me remarks on the physiological part of the “Timaeus,” which I have inserted as corrections under the head of errata at the end of the Introduction. The degree of accuracy which I have been enabled to attain is in great measure due to these gentlemen, and I heartily thank them for the pains and time which they have bestowed on my work.

I have further to explain how far I have received help from other labourers in the same field. The books which I have found of most use are Steinhart and Müller’s German Translation of Plato with Introductions; Zeller’s Philosophie der Griechen, and Platonische Studien; Susemihl’s Genetische Entwickelung der Platonischen Philosophie; Hermann’s Geschichte der Platonischen Philosophie; Bonitz, Platonische Studien; Stallbaum’s Notes and Introductions; Professor Campbell’s editions of the “Theaetetus,” the “Sophist,” and the “Politicus”; Professor Thompson’s “Phaedrus”; Th. Martin’s Etudes sur le Timée; Mr. Poste’s edition and translation of the “Philebus”; the Translation of the Republic, by Messrs. Davies and Vaughan, and the Translation of the “Gorgias,” by Mr. Cope.

I have also derived much assistance from the great work of Mr. Grote, which contains excellent analyses of the Dialogues, and is rich in original thoughts and observations. I agree with him in rejecting as futile the attempt of Schleiermacher and others to arrange the Dialogues of Plato into a harmonious whole. Any such arrangement appears to me not only to be unsupported by evidence, but to involve an anachronism in the history of philosophy. There is a common spirit in the writings of Plato, but not a unity of design in the whole, nor perhaps a perfect unity in any single Dialogue. The hypothesis of a general plan which is