Selected Myths

by Plato, Cătălin Partenie (Editor)

Once upon a time there were just the gods; mortal beings did not yet exist. We are used to thinking of myths as stories, and modern myths as made up and fictitious. For the ancient Greeks, however, a myth was a story that unveiled reality, and for Plato, myth-maker as well as myth-teller, a myth could tell us something important about ourselves and our world. The ultimate purpose of Plato's myths is to help us live a better life, and to teach philosophical truths in a form we can most easily understand.

This volume brings together ten of the most celebrated Platonic myths, from eight of Plato's dialogues ranging from the early Protagoras and Gorgias to the late Timaeus and Critias. They include the famous myth of the cave from Republic as well as The Judgement of Souls and The Birth of Love. Each myth is a self-contained story, prefaced by a short explanatory note, while the introduction considers Plato's use of myth and imagery. These myths are thought-provoking and profound, and together they provide an ideal introduction to Plato's philosophy.

Genres: Philosophy, Classics, Mythology, Nonfiction

166 pages, Paperback

First published November 11, 2004

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

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great primer for a deeper dive into Plato - insightful introductions, translations were clear and enjoyable to read.

[Martin Winter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Should have realised that if you read already all other World Classics Plato, then you won't find anything new in here.

[Chad Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a great starter book for Plato. I've tried starting to read his dialogues and got exhausted. I didn't realize the complexity within a simple dialogue. I would read and not understand or remember what was said. This book pulled out the meat away from the fancy asparagus on the side. It gave me the stories that are so often qouted or referenced but never read. I now have an understanding of why Plato is important and how his skill at the dialogue made him important. Great intro. I'm now encouraged to go back, one dialogue at a time now instead of a 600 page book, now and finish learning of and about Plato and philosophy in general.

[Jeanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent translation.

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it fascinating that the idea of soulmates stems from a Platonic dialogue that uses Aristophanes as the mouthpiece. Aristophanes’ narration might sound comical, but after reading it I honestly cant stop thinking about how “love” is a never-ending pursuit of wholeness. How brilliant (and romantic) it is the idea that long ago humans were originally created with four arms four legs and one head with two identical faces, but since zeus feared their power he decided to split each of them into two halves, condemning them to spend the rest of their lives trying to find the other half. So… in other words: finding your soulmate is basically an act of defying god 🫠

[Marcos · Rating 4 out of 5]

The edition doesn’t include all of Plato’s myths—I missed, for instance, the Ring of Gyges from The Republic. But all the myths presented here come with a brief, illuminating introduction that sets the stage and makes the reading easier, along with absolutely essential and very insightful notes throughout the text. A great book for anyone who enjoys philosophy.

[Ran · Rating 3 out of 5]

I particularly enjoyed the myths on the origins of love. The detailed description of atlantis at the end of the book was also interesting.

[Mellissa Ha]

way above my head