Plato: Euthyphro. Apology. Crito. Phaedo. Phaedrus

613 Pages·1999·30.99 MB·English

by  Plato

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PLATO
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EUTHYPHRO APOLOGY
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CRITO PHAEDO
PHAEDRUS
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Translated
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HAROLD NORTH FOWLER
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PLATO, the great philosopher of Athens,
was born in 427 BC. In early manhood an
admirer of Socrates, he later founded the
famous school of philosophy in the grove
Academus. Much else recorded ofhis life
is uncertain; that he left Athens for a time
after Socrates' execution is probable; that
later he went to Cyrene, Egypt, and Sicily
is possible; that he was wealthy is likely;
that he was critical of 'advanced' democ-
racyisobvious. Helivedtobe 80 yearsold.
Linguistic tests including those of com-
puterscience stilltryto establishthe order
ofhis extantphilosophical dialogues, writ-
ten in splendid prose and revealing Socra-
tes' mind fused with Plato's thougoht.
In Laches, Charmides, and Lysis, Socrates
and others discuss separate ethical concep-
tions. Protagoras, Ion, and Meno discuss
whether rioghteousness can be taugoht. In
Gorgias,Socratesisestrangedfromhiscity's
thought, and his fate is impending. The
Apology (not a dialogue), Crito, Euthyphro,
andtheunforgettablePhaedorelatethetrial
and death of Socrates and propound the
immortalityofthesoul. InthefamousSym-
posium and Phaedrus,writtenwhen Socrates
wasstillalive,wefindtheoriginandmean-
ing of love. Cratylus discusses the nature
of language. The great masterpiece in
ten books, the Republic, concerns righ-
teousness (and involves education, equal-
ity of the sexes, the structure of society,
and abolition of slavery). Of the six so-
calleddialecticaldialoguesEuthydemusdeals
with philosophy; metaphysical Parmenides is
Continuedon backflap
184 P
Plato.
Plato /
666584
Vol 1 NYPUBLICLIBRARY.THEBRANCHLIBRARES
,
3 3333 20129 5O33
PLATO
EUTHYPHRO APOLOGY
CRITO PHAEDO PHAEDRUS
WITH AN ENGLISH TRANSLATION BY
HAROLD NORTH FOWLER
INTRODUCTION BY W. R. M. LAMB
HARVARD UNIVERSITY PRESS
CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS
LONDON, ENGLAND
Firstpublished1914
Reprinted1917, 1919, 1923, 192,5, 192(8', 19.33, I
1942, 1947, 19.53, 1960, 1966, 1971, 1977, 1982,
, 1995' *999> 2O05
LOEBCLASSICALLIBRARY isaregisteredtrademark
ofthePresidentandFellowsofHarvardCollege
ISBN 0-674-99040-4
Printedonacid-freepaperandboundby
EdwardsBrothers,AnnArbor,Michigan
CONTENTS
PREFACE
vii
INTRODUCTION
ix
BIBLIOGRAPHY
xxi
EUTHYPHRO
1
THE APOLOGY
61
CRITO
147
PHAEDO
193
PHAEDRUS
405
INDEX 581

PREFACE
THE Greek text in this volume is based upon that
of Schanz, and all variations from his readings are
noted in the margin at the foot of the page. In
some cases deviations from the reading of the manu-
scripts have been noted, even when adopted by
Schanz. Intheintroductionstotheseparatedialogues
no attempt has been made to discuss the philosophy
ofPlato or to do anything more than to supply such
information as is needed for the intelligent reading
ofthese particular dialogues. For further discussion
and information the reader is referred tothe General
Introduction by Mr. W. R. M. Lamb, of Trinity
College, Cambridge.
HAROLD N. FOWLER.
vn

GENERAL INTRODUCTION
PLATO was bornin427 B.C. ofAthenianparentswho
could provide him with the best education of the
day,and ample means and leisurethroughout hislife.
He came to manhood in the dismal close of the
Peloponnesian War, when Aristophanes was at the
height of his success, and Sophocles and Euripides
had produced their last plays. As a boyhedoubtless
heard the lectures of Gorgias, Protagoras, and other
sophists,andhisearlybentseemstohavebeentowards
poetry. But his intelligence was too progressive to
rest in the agnostic position on which the sophistic
culture was based. A century before, Heracleitus
had declared knowledge to be impossible, because
the objects of sense are continually changing; yet
now a certain Cratylus was trying to build a theory
ofknowledge over theassertionofflux,bydeveloping
some hints let fall by its oracular author about the
truth contained in names. From this influencePlato
passed into contact with Socrates, whose character
and gifts have left a singular impress on the thought
of mankind. This effect is almost wholly due to
Plato's applications and extensions of his master's
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