Phaedrus

Plato, 427？ BCE-347？ BCEProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.4

Word count: 212K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Phaedrus by PlatoAuthor: Plato, 427? BCE-347? BCE,Language: English, Class: PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature, Release Date: Feb 1, 1999

Editor's review

Phaedrus is one of the most literary and intellectually charged of Plato's middle-period dialogues, centering on love, rhetoric, and the soul. The first half uses Socrates' and Phaedrus' discussion of an erotic speech as a springboard for a critique of rhetoric, while the second half turns to myth and dialectic to explore the nature of the soul and the path to truth. Its value lies in fusing philosophical argument, mythic imagination, and dramatic setting: readers find both a warning against rhetorical abuse and a core statement of Plato's tripartite soul and world of Forms. The English public-domain translation available from Project Gutenberg is convenient for comparative reading and searching, making it a good entry point into Plato's philosophy. As for reading contexts, it suits slow reading in a quiet setting, with notes to help with the mythic passages; it also suits classroom discussion or reading groups debating themes such as "rhetoric and truth" and "love and madness." Note that the dialogue's mode of argument differs from today's academic papers, and readers should patiently follow its progression.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers new to Plato's philosophy who want a literary dialogue as an entry point
Learners interested in the relationship between rhetoric, oratory, and truth
Students and teachers of philosophy, classics, or general humanities courses
Readers who enjoy texts interweaving mythic narrative with philosophical argument

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic textbook-style exposition who are unused to the dialogue form
Readers who want conclusions quickly and are unwilling to follow long arguments
Complete beginners unfamiliar with ancient Greek context and without annotative support

Reading tips

Read through once to grasp the overall thread, then read closely in sections the two core parts: the critique of rhetoric and the myth of the soul.
As you read, jot down Socrates' questions and answers to map the steps of the argument.
Use background material on Greek myth and Athenian rhetoric to understand how the mythic passages relate to their context.
Organize a reading group around topics such as "good rhetoric versus bad rhetoric" or "love and madness."

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Can I understand Phaedrus without a philosophy background?

You can get started, but patience is needed. The dialogue proceeds as conversation and is highly literary; read through first to grasp the gist, then use notes and introductions to understand the myth of the soul and the critique of rhetoric. Don't aim for full comprehension from the start.

What themes does this dialogue mainly discuss?

Core themes include love and madness, the nature and abuse of rhetoric, and the soul's nature and the pursuit of truth. The first half discusses an erotic speech; the second turns to rhetoric and dialectic and closes with myth, with the themes echoing one another.

What is an English public-domain translation good for?

It suits comparative reading, searching for original phrasing, and textual analysis, and is easy to copy excerpts from for study notes. For close reading, pair it with a modern annotated edition or introduction to make up for the public-domain translation's lack of notes.

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About the author

Plato, 427？ BCE-347？ BCE Author

Plato (c. 427–347 BCE) was an ancient Greek philosopher. Reliable details of his life are limited in public sources, and his thought and writings are generally known through later accounts. The library holds 65 of his works, including the multi-volume Republic (Πολιτεία), the Symposium, and the Phaedo. These works are mostly dialogues with Socrates as the central figure, unfolding through question and answer around justice, the governance of the city, love, the soul, and knowledge, combining philosophical inquiry with dramatic literary form. The Republic, which discusses the ideal city and justice, is especially influential. Plato's style is marked by analogy, argument, and open-ended conclusions, and he has had a lasting influence on later Western philosophy and political thought.