Obviously made for greater minds than mine. While this is some of the most important philosophical work that is the foundation of much 'Classical' Western writing, philosophy and politics, I found most of it very hard going, though there are a few gems hiding in here. I am going to make a point of reading a different translation of 'The Republic' to see if that makes it any easier to get through. ( )

Selections needed to complete my St. John's list: In Phaedrus, the discussion of Platonic love is completed with further discussion regarding the sensible vs the bodily love. Socrates is made out as a lover of wisdom, not as wise himself. His mastery of discussion are also shown in the way he wraps up his first argument so quickly, only to have Phaedrus force him to stay, at which time he works into his real thoughts. In essence, he shows that arguments are of higher worth if they can stand up to continuing tests of their truth. Also, man cannot handle arguments about his ideas if he has not explored them and himself completely. In Parmenides, we are introduced to the full metaphysical concept of the idea. It's separation fron the actual object and the resulting paradoxical implications are troubling to Plato, although it could be easily dismissed due to the metaphysical nature. In Thaetetus, Socrates is portrayed as the midwife of ideas. Most of the discussion compares lawyers and philosophers, the former being slaves to time and objective, while the latter can fully explore any topic to find the real truth. In Sophist, Plato gives an oveview of the various philosophical camps and casts an inferior light on most of them. The sophists are actually somewhat simple in that their arguments do not hold up under further scrutiny. Finally, in Timaeus, the recurring theme of balance between body and soul is discussed. In addition, we are introduced to Solons' tales about Atlantis which are more fully conveyed in Critias. Critias is actually one of the more interesting works to me, bringing out so many parallels to Biblical tales, origins of government, ancient history, and cultural ideas prevalent across the world. ( )

Someone I've read a lot of and was important to my intellectual history due to being one of the first meaty thinkers I read. ( )

So again, the superlative wisdom of Socrates is testified by all antiquity, and placed on ground not to be questioned. When therefore Plato puts into his mouth such paralogisms, such quibbles on words & sophisms as a schoolboy would be ashamed of, we conclude they were the whimsies of Plato's own foggy brain, and acquit Socrates of puerilities so unlike his character. (Speaking of Plato I will add that no writer antient or modern has bewildered the world with more ignes fatui than this renowned philosopher, in Ethis, in Politics & Physics. In the latter, to specify a single example, compare his views of the animal economy, in his Timaeus, with those of mrs Bryan in her Conversations on chemistry, and weigh the science of the canonised philosopher against the good sense of the unassuming lady. But Plato's visions have furnished a basis for endless systems of mystical theology, and he is therefore all but adopted as a Christian saint... (TJ to William Short, 4 August 1820)

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?...

Footnotes are very sparse and are mostly for the purposes of alternate translation possibilities for words and phrases. The paper is so thin that I fear I will tear the pages as I turn them.

Despite those shortcomings, this volume is just too cool! Everything in one not too unwieldy book with an elegant jacket design that adds respectability to any shelf (not that we care about things like that). It includes every work that has ever been attributed to Plato (that we currently know of), even the ones with quite spurious claims of authorship, like the last book of Epigrams. It makes up for the lack of footnotes with a thorough index. Of course, it uses the Stephanus numbers for easy reference. Add to this that at least some of the translations have been revised for this edition, and you have the 'must have' book for ancient philosophy fans and scholars.

Complete Works is heavy enough that I certainly won't throw away my shorter Hackett booklets which come in handy for vacations, but for use at home this can't be beat. ( )