On Love: Lysis/Symposium/Phaedrus/Alcibiades with Selections from Republic and Laws

by Plato, C.D.C. Reeve (Editor)

This collection features Plato's writings on sex and love in the preeminent translations of Stanley Lombardo, Paul Woodruff and Alexander Nehamas, D.S. Hutchinson, and C.D.C. Reeve.

Reeve's Introduction provides a wealth of historical information about Plato and Socrates, and the sexual norms of classical Athens. His introductory essay looks closely at the dialogues themselves and includes the following sections: Socrates and the Art of Love; Socrates and Athenian Paiderastia; Loving Socrates; Love and the Ascent to the Beautiful; The Art and Psychology of Love Explained; and Writing about Love.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Classics, Friendship, School, Classical Studies, Teaching

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 30, 2006

About the author

Plato (Greek: Πλάτων), born Aristocles (c. 427 – 348 BC), was an ancient Greek philosopher of the Classical period who is considered a foundational thinker in Western philosophy and an innovator of the written dialogue and dialectic forms. He raised problems for what became all the major areas of both theoretical philosophy and practical philosophy, and was the founder of the Platonic Academy, a philosophical school in Athens where Plato taught the doctrines that would later become known as Platonism.
Plato's most famous contribution is the theory of forms (or ideas), which has been interpreted as advancing a solution to what is now known as the problem of universals. He was decisively influenced by the pre-Socratic thinkers Pythagoras, Heraclitus, and Parmenides, although much of what is known about them is derived from Plato himself.
Along with his teacher Socrates, and Aristotle, his student, Plato is a central figure in the history of philosophy. Plato's entire body of work is believed to have survived intact for over 2,400 years—unlike that of nearly all of his contemporaries. Although their popularity has fluctuated, they have consistently been read and studied through the ages. Through Neoplatonism, he also greatly influenced both Christian and Islamic philosophy. In modern times, Alfred North Whitehead famously said: "the safest general characterization of the European philosophical tradition is that it consists of a series of footnotes to Plato."

Reviews

[laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

can we talk about the cover of this book? it has a butt on it! a respectable hackett edition of plato's dialogues has a butt on the cover!

(the cover aside, i count the phaedrus among the best and most important texts i've ever read. love and rhetoric. who in the world we are, and what we should say about it, and how to.)

[Tyler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Socrates is such an asshole 😂

While it is difficult to judge the reasoning and logic of one's predecessors when our own world has been so informed by them, the logic here appears quite faulty.

Still, the thought that one of Plato's dialogues is set at a party where the guests get fantastically drunk has always amused me to no end.

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely ramblings about love. Those boys sure knew how to have a good time back then.

[Chris Linehan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is definitely not my favorite collection of Plato. I don't particularly enjoy Phaedrus or Lysis to begin with. There is some interesting stuff in those dialogues without a doubt, but the context of casual pedophilia always has made me a bit uncomfortable. I know it's cultural and Plato advocates a repurposing of it that desexualizes it; but, it's still not a comfortable read. Symposium is fantastic, full of wit and humor. I especially enjoyed Aristophanes' speech and the arrival of Alcibiades. Alcibiades as a dialogue is interesting as well. But the weirdness of Lysis and Phaedrus prevent me from giving a higher star rating.

[cypher · Rating 4 out of 5]

obviously outdated (lots of references to the greek gods), but still interesting.

[Alexander Asay · Rating 5 out of 5]

UGA: Ancient Philosophy

[Peggy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Plato wouldn't know love if it danced in his face wearing nothing but a tea cozy.