Other Works

Letters

- Suggested translation: "Letters," Plato in Twelve Volumes, vol. 7, trans. R. G. Bury, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1966.
Excerpt: Plato to Dionysius wishes well-doing. After I had spent so long a time with you and was trusted above all others in my administration of your government, while you were enjoying the benefits I was enduring the slanders, grievous as they were. For I… More

Epinomis

- Recommended translation: "Epinomis," trans. W. R. M. Lamb in Plato in Twelve Volumes, vol. 9, Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 1925. 
Excerpt: Cleinias: True to our agreement, good sir, we have come all three—you and I and Megillus here—to consider in what terms we ought to describe that part of understanding which we say produces, when it so intends, the most excellent disposition of… More

Protagoras

- Recommended translations:
  • Plato: "Protagoras" and "Meno", trans. Robert C. Bartlett (Cornell, 2004).
  • "Protagoras," trans. S. Lombardo and K. Bell in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Friend Where have you been now, Socrates? Ah, but of course you have been in chase of Alcibiades and his youthful beauty! Well, only the other day, as I looked at him, I thought him still handsome as a man—for a man he is, Socrates, between you and… More

Theages

- Recommended translations:
  • "Theages," trans. T. Pangle in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • "Theages," trans. N. Smith in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Demodocus Socrates, I was wanting to have some private talk with you, if you had time to spare; even if there is some demand, which is not particularly important, on your time, do spare some, nevertheless, for me. Socrates Why, in any case I happen… More

Rival Lovers

- Recommended translation:
  • "Rival Lovers," trans. J. Leake in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
Excerpt: Socrates I entered the grammar school of the teacher Dionysius, and saw there the young men who are accounted the most comely in form and of distinguished family, and their lovers. Now it chanced that two of the young people were disputing, but about… More

Phaedrus

- Recommended translations:
  • The Rhetoric of Morality and Philosophy: Plato's Gorgias and Phaedrus, trans. Seth Benardete (University of Chicago Press, 1991, 2009).
  • "Phaedrus," trans. M. Nichols, A. Nehamas, and P. Woodruff in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
 
Excerpt: Socrates Dear Phaedrus, whither away, and where do you come from? Phaedrus From Lysias, Socrates, the son of Cephalus; and I am going for a walk outside the wall. For I spent a long time there with Lysias, sitting since early morning; and on the… More

Philebus

- Recommended translations:
  • The Tragedy and Comedy of Life: Plato's Philebus, trans. Seth Benardete (University of Chicago Press: 1991).
  • "Philebus," trans. D. Frede in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
 
Excerpt: Socrates Observe, then, Protarchus, what the doctrine is which you are now to accept from Philebus, and what our doctrine is, against which you are to argue, if you do not agree with it. Shall we make a brief statement of each of them? Protarchus By… More

Ion

- Recommended translation: "Ion," trans. A. Bloom in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
Excerpt: Socrates Welcome, Ion. Where have you come from now, to pay us this visit? From your home in Ephesus? Ion No, no, Socrates; from Epidaurus and the festival there of Asclepius. Socrates Do you mean to say that the Epidaurians honor the god with a… More

Minos

- Recommended translations:
  • "Minos," trans. T. Pangle in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • "Minos," trans. M. Schofield in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Socrates Tell me, what is law? Companion To what kind of law does your question refer? Socrates What! Is there any difference between law and law, in this particular point of being law? For just consider what is the actual question I am putting to… More

Critias

- Recommended translation: "Critias," trans. D. Clay in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Timaeus How gladly do I now welcome my release, Socrates, from my protracted discourse, even as a traveller who takes his rest after a long journey! And I make my prayer to that God who has recently been created by our speech (although in reality… More

Cleitophon

- Recommended translation: "Cleitophon," trans. C. Orwin in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
Excerpt: Socrates It was told us recently by someone about Cleitophon, the son of Aristonymus, that in a conversation he had with Lysias he was finding fault with the instructions of Socrates and praising to the skies the lectures of Thrasymachus. Cleitophon… More

Menexenus

- Recommended Translation: "Menexenus," trans. Devin Stauffer and Susan Collins in Empire and the Ends of Politics (Focus, 1999).  
Excerpt: Socrates From the agora, Menexenus, or where from? Menexenus From the agora, Socrates, and the Council Chamber. Socrates And what was it took you specially to the Council Chamber? But of course it was because you deem yourself to be at the end of… More

Lesser Hippias

- Recommended translations:
  • "Lesser Hippias," trans. J. Leake in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • "Lesser Hippias," trans. N. Smith in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Eudicus Why, then, are you silent, Socrates, when Hippias has been delivering such a fine display? Why do you not join us in praising some part of his speech, or else, if he seems to you to have been wrong in any point, refute him—especially now… More

Greater Hippias

- Recommended translations:
  • "Greater Hippias," trans. D. R. Sweet in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • "Greater Hippias," trans. P. Woodruff  in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Socrates Hippias, beautiful and wise, what a long time it is since you have put in at the port of Athens! Hippias I am too busy, Socrates. For whenever Elis needs to have any business transacted with any of the states, she always comes to me first… More

Euthydemus

- Recommended translations: "Euthydemus," trans. S. Lombardo in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997). "Euthydemus." trans. G. McBrayer and M. Nichols in Plato: Euthydemus. Ed. D. Schaeffer (Focus, 2011)
Excerpt: Crito Who was it, Socrates, that you were talking with yesterday at the Lyceum? Why, there was such a crowd standing about you that when I came up in the hope of listening I could hear nothing distinctly: still, by craning over I got a glimpse, and… More

Lysis

- Recommended translations:
  • Plato's Dialogue on Friendship: An Interpretation of the Lysis, with a New Translation, trans. David Bolotin (Cornell, 1979).
  • "Lysis," trans. S. Lombardo in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Ah well, I said, Hippothales, what an altogether noble and gallant love you have discovered there! Now please go on and give me a performance like those that you give your friends here, so that I may know whether you understand what a lover ought to… More

Laches

- Recommended translations:
  • "Laches," trans. J. Nichols, Jr.  in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • "Laches," trans. R. K. Sprague  in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Lysimachus You have seen the performance of the man fighting in armour, Nicias and Laches; but my friend Melesias and I did not tell you at the time our reason for requesting you to come and see it with us. However, we will tell you now; for we think… More

Charmides

- Recommended Translations: "Charmides," trans. R. K. Sprague in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997). "Charmides," trans. Thomas and Grace West in Plato: Charmides. (Hackett, 1986).
Excerpt: We arrived yesterday evening from the army at Potidaea, and I sought with delight, after an absence of some time, my wonted conversations. Accordingly I went into the wrestling-school of Taureas, opposite the Queen’s shrine, and there I came… More

Hipparchus

- Recommended translations:
  • "Hipparchus," trans. Steven Forde in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • "Hipparchus," trans. N. Smith in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
Excerpt: Socrates And what is love of gain? What can it be, and who are the lovers of gain? Friend In my opinion, they are those who think it worth while to make gain out of things of no worth. Socrates Is it your opinion that they know those things to be of… More

Alcibiades II

- Recommended translations:
  • "Alcibiades II," trans. C. Lord in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • "Alcibiades II," trans. A. Kenny in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).
  • Socrates and Alcibiades: Four Texts, ed. David Johnson (Focus, 2003).
Excerpt: Socrates Alcibiades, are you on your way to offer a prayer to the god? Alcibiades I am, certainly, Socrates. Socrates You seem, let me say, to have a gloomy look, and to keep your eyes on the ground, as though you were pondering something. Alcibiades… More

Alcibiades I

- Recommended translations:
  • "Alcibiades I," trans. C. Lord in The Roots of Political Philosophy, ed. Thomas L. Pangle (Cornell, 1987).
  • Socrates and Alcibiades: Four Texts, ed. David Johnson (Focus, 2003).
 
Excerpt: Socrates Son of Cleinias, I think it must surprise you that I, the first of all your lovers, am the only one of them who has not given up his suit and thrown you over, and whereas they have all pestered you with their conversation I have not spoken… More

Cratylus

- Recommended translation: "Cratylus," trans. C. D. C. Reeve in Plato: Complete Works, ed. J. M. Cooper (Hackett, 1997).  
Excerpt: Hermogenes Here is Socrates; shall we take him as a partner in our discussion? Cratylus If you like. Hermogenes Cratylus, whom you see here, Socrates, says that everything has a right name of its own, which comes by nature, and that a name is not… More

Crito

- Recommended translation: "Crito" in Four Texts on Socrates,  trans. Thomas G. West and Grace Starry West (Cornell University Press: 1984, rev. 1998).  
About the dialogue: In the Crito, Socrates discusses with Crito the meaning of justice and injustice—and what a proper response to injustice is.

Euthyphro

- Recommended translation: "Euthyphro" in Four Texts on Socrates,  trans. Thomas G. West and Grace Starry West (Cornell University Press: 1984, rev. 1998).  
About the dialogue: Euthyphro (ca. 399 BCE) is a Socratic dialogue by Plato, set in the weeks leading up to Socrates’ trial and death. While awaiting a preliminary hearing near the king archon’s court, Socrates meets Euthryphro, and the two men… More