This post looks at the section of Plato’s Apology from 24b to 28a, where Plato directly addresses the accusations of Meletus. I’m going to quote and paraphrase Plato’s presentation based on G.M.A. Grube’s translation. This section proves to be the only sustained address by Socrates to the formal charges. Even here he seems to treat […]
I wanted share the first few discussion questions on Book I for Reading Odyssey, Inc.’s book group on The Campaigns of Alexander by Arrian. The page numbers refer to The Landmark Series’ version of the book. If you’re interested in joining the group, see this post for the schedule and a link to the Reading […]
Diana Gilliland Wright provides updated information and links on “The Marathon Stone,” an amazing stone that appears to be the casualty list from the battle of Marathon. The inscription is written in boustrephon and diagonally (see comments for update), and was acquired by Herodes Atticus when he honored his home town of Marathon by constructing […]
This post looks at the section of Plato’s Apology from 21a to 24b in which Plato explores the impact of the Delphic oracle. I’m going to quote and paraphrase Plato’s presentation based on G.M.A. Grube’s translation. (21a – 23b) In the previous post I mentioned how the oracle at Delphi told Chaerephon, in reply to […]
This post looks at the section of Plato’s Apology from 19a to 21a which addresses the old prejudice against Socrates, gives his view of teaching sophistry, and presents the Delphic oracle on his wisdom. I’m going to paraphrase Plato’s presentation since this section is longer using G.M.A. Grube’s translation and add comments as I go. […]
This post looks at the section covering 18a to 19a of the Apology which comes after Socrates’ introduction in the previous section and lays out how he will respond to his charges. I’ll quote from the Benjamin Jowett translation at Project Gutenberg. And first, I have to reply to the older charges and to my […]
I’ll quote from the Benjamin Jowett translation at Project Gutenberg, although I may occasionally reference the G.M.A. Grube translation in my book. How you, O Athenians, have been affected by my accusers, I cannot tell; but I know that they almost made me forget who I was—so persuasively did they speak; and yet they have […]
I’m going to take a slightly different approach with Plato’s Apology. The work is remarkable and I think worth exploring (or revisiting for those who have already read it) so I’ll take extra time and posts to quote excerpts and make comments along the way. I’d like to quote the first paragraph of the introduction […]
Online resources for Plato CONTENTS: Euthyphro Glad to reward anyone who is willing to listen They will listen if they think you show them well To be laughed at does not matter Apology John M. Cooper’s introduction Socrates’ introduction (17a – 18a) Additional charges (18a – 19a) Prejudice, sophistry, and the oracle (19a – 21a) […]
Update: I have attached the schedule for anyone still thinking about joining the reading group–please do! The first call is on Monday. Follow the link in the original post for more details. Conference Call Schedule 2011 Monday, April 11 – Intro. call Monday, May 2 – Book 1 Monday, June 6 – Book 2 Monday, […]
My earlier posts on Euthyphro provide links to the text and commentary. They also cover some of the drama, arguments and general online resources on Plato. This post covers some final thoughts on Euthyphro. All quotes from the dialogue in this post are from the translation by G.M.A. Grube. Since the Euthyphro ends in an […]
Several versions of Euthyphro are available online, including translations by Benjamin Jowett and Cathal Woods and Ryan Pack. LibriVox has an audio version of the dialogue. Online guides to the dialogue can be found by at the Wikipedia summary. My first post on Euthyphro can be found here and my online resources post for Plato can is located […]
From the introduction of Euthyphro in Plato: Complete Works, edited by John M. Cooper: The scene is the agora or central marketplace of Athens, before the offices of the magistrate who registers and makes preliminary inquiries into charges brought under the laws protecting the city from the gods’ displeasure. There Socrates meets Euthyphro—Socrates is on […]
I throw this out for anyone that was interested in Bloodlands since this book focuses on some of the same area but expands the history. Because of the price, I probably won’t be buying it any time soon but I’ll definitely look for this in nearby libraries. From the description at the Oxford University Press: […]
A reading of the poem that Elizabeth Taylor asked Colin Farrell to read at her funeral…but read by Richard Burton, appropriately enough. The Leaden Echo And The Golden Echo (Maidens’ song from St. Winefred’s Well) Gerard Manley Hopkins (1844–89) THE LEADEN ECHO How to keep–is there any any, is there none such, nowhere known some, […]
From Wired.com: The finished Strahov library panorama, released Tuesday on Martin’s website, is a zoomable, high-resolution peek inside one of Prague’s most beautiful halls, a repository of rare books that is usually off-limits to tourists (a few of whom can be seen standing behind the velvet rope at the room’s normal viewing station). Martin’s panorama […]
“War and Sports” Tuesday, April 5, 2011 Speaker: THOMAS SCANLON 2:00 PM ET/ 11:00 AM PT (90 minute lecture and Q&A) Both sport and battle were “contests” for the Greeks, agones, in their terms. We will here look at the fascinating and puzzling legend(s) of Pheidippides (or whatever his name was), ancient long-distance messenger runners […]
I’m a little overwhelmed at what is available online to help in reading and understanding Plato’s dialogues. Many sites or posts I found focus on one or two of the dialogues so I will link them when I get to that particular work. If you know of any general resources, let me know in the […]
One of my goals has been to read Plato. And understand, at least partially, what I’m reading. If nothing else, it should prove entertaining (even if only in a painful manner) for others who took philosophy courses. I thought I would go in the order of John M. Cooper’s compilation (shown above—a gift from my […]