Blitz, Mark "Understanding Plato: Beauty and the Greater Hippias," Paper delivered at the Program on Constitutional Government at Harvard University in October, 2011.

First lines:

Why should we bother to understand Plato? The reason is that he is an intelligent man who offers the first comprehensive rational reflection on human affairs, happiness, and its connection to politics. Much of what he says is therefore likely to be true. He also shows us some of the connections between philosophy and the everyday problems and phenomena from which it arises. He therefore offers a sound path to the issues that worry those concerned that philosophy and political philosophy have become too technical and academic.

Online:
Foundation for Constitutional Government [pdf]