Ancient Philosophy

HACKETT SIGNATURE EDITION: The second edition of C. D. C. Reeve's Nicomachean Ethics translation is now available in hardcover for the first time as part of Hackett Publishing's Signature Editions collection. The new premium hardcover retains all of the content of the paperback, including the Introduction by C. D. C. Reeve, Bekker numbers in the margins, sequentially numbered and cross-referenced endnotes, and a detailed Index that guides the reader to places where focused discussion of key notions occurs. The Signature Edition features Smyth sewn bindings, a black satin ribbon marker, acid-free 50# cream-colored paper, and more.

The Art of Assemblage: Studies on Plato and Aristotle is a collection of twelve essays—six on Plato and six on Aristotle—written by an international group of eminent scholars. In recognition of the work of author, translator, and distinguished professor of philosophy C. D. C. Reeve, the essays address a wide range of topics—ethics and politics, poetics and rhetoric, and metaphysics—reflecting the breadth of Reeve's own scholarship. They exemplify how the "art of assemblage"—that is, the art of interpreting ancient Greek texts—can address some of the most intriguing questions posed by Plato and Aristotle. Together, they reveal continuities between Platonic and Aristotelian thought.

Plato’s Seventh Letter is one of the most important and controversial documents of ancient philosophy, particularly in terms of its epistemology and social and political context. James Redfield’s study of the letter includes a beautiful new translation of the text, an incisive Introduction, and a full commentary along with relevant chapters of Plutarch’s Life of Dion.

“For a long time, the Seventh Letter has cried out for an interpreter to fully appraise its importance and richness of meaning. It has found that commentator in James M. Redfield. This elegant, insight-filled volume—augmented by crucial chapters of Plutarch’s Life of Dion, in which the scale of Plato’s Syracusan debacle becomes inescapably clear—will help readers see Plato’s life, and read his dialogues, in a completely new light.”
—James Romm, James H. Ottaway Jr. Professor of Classics, Bard College

Aristotle: Complete Works is a monumental achievement, the first new English-language translations of the Aristotelian corpus since 1954. Edited by C. D. C. Reeve and Pavlos Kontos, this beautifully produced two-volume cloth-bound set with smyth-sewn bindings aims for consistent translation of key terms across the works and includes a general Introduction by Christof Rapp, Catalogs of Aristotle’s Writings, an Annotated Index of People and Places, and an extensive Annotated Glossary of Terms. 

Aristotle's Dialectic fits seamlessly with the other volumes in the New Hackett Aristotle Series, enabling Anglophone readers to study these works in a way previously not possible. The Introduction describes the book that lies ahead, explaining what it is about, what it is trying to do, and how it goes about doing it. Sequentially numbered, cross-referenced endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index indicates the places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

"The Topics and the Sophistical Refutations are the workshop in which the argumentative armory of Aristotle's philosophy is forged. They are not an easy read, but for this very reason Reeve's masterly translation, which achieves fluidity without sacrificing rigor and lexical consistency, is a most essential tool."
—Paolo Fait, Tutorial Fellow in Classical Philosophy, New College, University of Oxford

This new translation of On Coming to Be and Passing Away and Meteorology 1 and 4 fits seamlessly with the other volumes in the New Hackett Aristotle Series, enabling Anglophone readers to study these works in a way previously not possible. The Introduction describes the book that lies ahead, explaining what it is about, what it is trying to do, how it goes about doing it, and what sort of audience it presupposes. Sequentially numbered, cross-referenced endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index indicates the places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

"Reading Aristotle isn’t easy, and Reeve doesn’t pretend to make it so. But his uncluttered translation, extensive annotation, and supplementary materials go a long way toward lightening the burden; this is another gem to add to his very useful collection."
—Russell Dancy, Professor Emeritus, Florida State University

"Even those already familiar with Aristotle may be surprised to learn that discussions of theological topics can be found in so many of his works. Reeve's idea of packaging these texts sequentially along with commentary and notes is brilliant. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in Aristotle's theology."
—S. Marc Cohen, Professor of Philosophy, Emeritus, University of Washington

“Based on comprehensive knowledge of the Aristotelian corpus, Reeve’s book is a transformative addition to the literature.”
—David Sedley, Emeritus Laurence Professor of Ancient Philosophy, University of Cambridge

"This is a superb new translation that is remarkably accurate to Plato's very difficult Greek, yet clear and highly readable. The notes are more helpful than those in any other available translation of the Laws since they contain both the information needed by the beginning student as well as analytical notes that include references to the secondary literature for the more advanced reader. For either the beginner or the scholar, this should be the preferred translation." —Christopher Bobonich, Clarence Irving Lewis Professor of Philosophy, Stanford University

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

This new translation of Aristotle's Eudemian Ethics, noteworthy for its consistency and accuracy, is the latest addition to the New Hackett Aristotle series. Fitting seamlessly with the others in the series, it enables Anglophone readers to read Aristotle’s works in a way previously impossible. Sequentially numbered endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index of Terms guides the reader to places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

"David Reeve’s translation of Aristotle’s Eudemian Ethics is certain to become an indispensable tool for anyone who is interested in studying this great text, that paired with the Nicomachean Ethics, exposes Aristotle’s ethical theory. The translation is not only faithful to the Greek text but it also reproduces masterfully the rhythm of Aristotle’s prose. Together with its thoughtful Introduction, copious notes, and temperance when coping with textual problems, Reeve’s edition is a remarkable contribution to Aristotelian studies." —Pavlos Kontos, University of Patras, Greece

“As one would expect from the team of Brann, Kalkavage and Salem, their edition of Plato's Meno is a fine one. The translation meets their stated goal of remaining 'as faithful as possible to the Greek, while using lively, colloquial English.' Their notes are consistently helpful and will be particularly useful to those readers willing to explore the nuances of Plato's extraordinary prose. Their introduction is clear and compact, and it highlights the most philosophically important themes of the dialogue. One particularly useful feature of this edition is the manner in which it displays the diagrams Socrates draws in order to illustrate his famous 'square within a square.' Instead of relegating them to the notes, it integrates them into the text of the dialogue itself. Readers are able to follow along, and 'watch' Socrates actually construct them." —David Roochnik, Boston University

"This trio from St. John’s has produced the most high-fidelity English translation of the Meno available. The Introduction offers a no-nonsense summary of the dialogue, and ample footnotes alert the reader to important Greek terms, while also situating significant claims in their historical context as well as in the context of Plato’s larger corpus. The Glossary helpfully places the focus on core philosophical concepts, and the Select Bibliography makes for a manageable introduction to some of the standard scholarship. This volume is an all-around success." —Charles Ives, University of Washington

 Ebook edition now available from: Amazon Kindle, GooglePlay, eBooks.com, RedShelf, VitalSource.

The Plotinus Reader provides a generous selection of translations from the fifty-four treatises that together make up the Enneads of Plotinus, a central work in the history of philosophy. They were prepared by a team of specialists in ancient philosophy and edited by Lloyd P. Gerson. Based on the definitive critical edition of the Greek along with decades of additional textual criticism by many scholars, these translations aim to provide a readable, accurate rendering of Plotinus’s often very difficult language. Included are extensive references to Plotinus’s sources, scores of cross-references, and an extensive glossary of technical terms.

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

"The De Caelo can be quite difficult for a first-time reader. C. D. C. Reeve's fluid and accurate translation, along with his superb Introduction and 560 endnotes (in effect functioning as a commentary), are bound to make this work much more accessible, while at the same time being a highly useful tool for seasoned Aristotle scholars." —Robert Mayhew, Professor of Philosophy, Seton Hall University

"Reeve's lucid and accurate translation of this difficult work will be of great value both to historians of philosophy and to philosophers interested in the topics Aristotle addresses for their own sake. The generous Introduction and notes provide the reader without Greek with full access to Aristotle's thinking." —William Charlton, author of many works on Aristotle's philosophy of nature and contributor of five volumes to the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle series

"C.D.C. Reeve's annotated translation of Aristotle’s Generation of Animals provides novices and experts alike a much-needed modern and readable, yet accurate and technically rigorous, entry to this difficult text. By printing it together with translations of the methodologically prior works, History of Animals I and Parts of Animals I, readers now have access to what are arguably Aristotle's philosophically richest biological texts. The Introduction helpfully situates the project of Aristotle's biology into its metaphysical and (natural) scientific context, but it also does much more. It offers a panoramic, illuminating, and characteristically provocative interpretative picture of Aristotle’s philosophical endeavors as a whole—one that demands to be assessed in its entirety, and that is supported by a wealth of references to, and quotations from, mostly Aristotle himself. The book provides an invaluable resource for anyone trying to understand Aristotle’s fascination with living nature." —Mariska Leunissen, The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Terence Irwin’s edition of the Nicomachean Ethics offers more aids to the reader than are found in any modern English translation. It includes an Introduction, headings to help the reader follow the argument, explanatory notes on difficult or important passages, and a full glossary explaining Aristotle’s technical terms. The Third Edition offers additional revisions of the translation as well as revised and expanded versions of the notes, glossary, and Introduction. Also new is an appendix featuring translated selections from related texts of Aristotle.

"The translation is absolutely reliable and is supplemented with notes that highlight any and all possible problems. Rich and easy to use. I love that 40 pages of supplementary texts from Aristotle are included. . . . Sometimes new editions seem pointless. This is worth it!" —James C. Klagge, Virginia Tech

"Moore and Raymond's Charmides is very impressive. The translation is excellent, and the Introduction and notes guide the reader into thorny problems in a way that renders them understandable: e.g., how to translate sôphrosunê, why we should care about self-knowledge, or how to seek to clarify important ethico-political concepts. The result provides almost all of what an instructor will need to introduce this unjustly neglected dialogue into a syllabus. Moreover, the volume is a wide-ranging resource for specialists. Students of the 'Socratic Dialogues' will profit greatly from this admirable contribution." —David J. Murphy is co-editor of Antiphontis et Andocidis Orationes (Oxford) and author of "The Basis of the Text of Plato's Charmides" (Mnemosyne) and many other contributions on the Charmides. He lives in New York City.

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

"The Rhetoric is, of course, a landmark in the history of rhetorical theory. It is also a major work of Aristotelian philosophy, which contains Aristotle's fullest discussion of the nature and value of dialectic, a pioneering treatment of non-conclusive but reputable argumentation and a wide-ranging examination of the emotions, among other things. Reeve's clear and accurate translation, with a meaty Introduction and copious notes, does justice to the Rhetoric in all its aspects as no English language translation has done before." —James Allen, University of Toronto

This new translation of Aristotle's Rhetoric, noteworthy for its consistency and accuracy, is the latest addition to the New Hackett Aristotle series. Fitting seamlessly with the others in the series, it enables Anglophone readers to read Aristotle’s works in a way previously impossible. Sequentially numbered endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index of Terms guides the reader to places where focused discussion of key notions occurs.

The Physics is a foundational work of western philosophy, and the crucial one for understanding Aristotle's views on matter, form, essence, causation, movement, space, and time. This richly annotated, scrupulously accurate, and consistent translation makes it available to a contemporary English reader as no other does—in part because it fits together seamlessly with other closely associated works in the New Hackett Aristotle series, such as the Metaphysics, De Anima, and forthcoming De Caelo and On Coming to Be and Passing Away. Eventually the series will include all of Aristotle's works. Sequentially numbered endnotes provide the information most needed at each juncture, while a detailed Index of Terms indicates places where focused discussion of key notions occurs. An illuminating general Introduction describes the book that lies ahead, explaining what sort of work it is and what sorts of evidence it relies on.

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

"This is C. D. C. Reeve's entirely new version of Aristotle's fascinating, and at the same time superbly difficult, text. The translation is faithful, concise, and extraordinarily thoughtful. Any student of the De Anima will no doubt greatly profit from it. Reeve's Introduction focuses on the place of the study of the soul in Aristotle's biology and—controversially—theology. With this he provides a refreshing and highly instructive counterpoint to an idea still very powerful in the secondary literature. This is the thought that the De Anima pertains to the province of 'the philosophy of mind.' Reeve shows that the De Anima is much more than this. A remarkable contribution." —Klaus Corcilius, University of California, Berkeley and The University of Tübingen

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

"David Reeve's new translation of the Politics is certain to become the primary and indispensable tool for anyone undertaking a careful study of Aristotle's great work. Newcomers to this treatise as well as advanced scholars will learn enormously from the Introduction, extensive notes, and detailed index."  —Richard Kraut, Northwestern University

"I seriously believe this will be the finest edition of the Symposium ever to appear in English. May it enlighten many students and be a very valuable addition to current scholarship in this area." —Donald C. Lindenmuth, The Pennsylvania State University

"Brann, Kalkavage and Salem's translation is literal, but reads naturally in English. . . . Despite the high degree of linguistic accuracy that the authors maintain, they also convey the playful tone of the dialogue: they are alert to the humor and irony that pervade the text and they effectively handle the literary (mostly poetical) passages when they occur. In general, they do not provide restrictive interpretation; rather they open the text up to alternative readings. More importantly, the translation is accompanied by useful notes that either focus on the text itself (e.g. on the etymology and meaning of words) or go beyond it (e.g., they offer additional information about the characters of the dialogue and its intertexts). A well-produced edition, with a logical structure, clear objectives and a reasonable price. It is lucid and accessible and it should be counted among the best English translations of the Symposium." —Chara Kokkiou, University of Crete, in Bryn Mawr Classical Review

Soon after its publication, Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy was hailed as the favorite to become "the 'standard' text for survey courses in ancient philosophy."* More than twenty years later that prediction has been borne out: Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy still stands as the leading anthology of its kind. It is now stronger than ever: The Fifth Edition of Readings in Ancient Greek Philosophy features a completely revised Aristotle unit, with new translations, as well as a newly revised glossary. The Plato unit offers new translations of the Meno and Republic. In the latter, indirect dialogue is cast into direct dialogue for greater readability. The Presocratics unit has been re-edited and streamlined, and the pages of every unit have been completely reset. 

* APA Newsletter for Teaching Philosophy

Series: The New Hackett Aristotle

"C. D. C. Reeve adds to his already remarkable series of translations of Plato and Aristotle another stellar accomplishment: a full translation of Aristotle’s daunting Metaphysics. He has managed to present Aristotle’s often ungainly Greek into perfectly flowing English syntax without sacrificing the core meaning of the text. Any translator of Aristotle will recognize what an impressive achievement this is. All readers will benefit from the over 1,600 explicative notes accompanying the translation: Reeve has a discerning eye for determining what requires amplification for the purposes of understanding and an admirable gift for saying just as much as needs to be said in order to achieve it." —Christopher Shields, George N. Shuster Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame

"Kalkavage’s translation and commentary provide invaluable assistance to students of Plato’s Timaeus. The translation is accurate, but readable. And Kalkavage packs a great deal of relevant historical, musical, and mathematical information into his notes."
     —Catherine Zuckert, Nancy Reeves Dreux Professor of Political Science, University of Notre Dame

This concise anthology of primary sources designed for use in an ancient philosophy survey ranges from the Presocratics to Plato, Aristotle, the Hellenistic philosophers, and the Neoplatonists. The Second Edition features an amplified selection of Presocratic fragments in newly revised translations by Richard D. McKirahan. Also included is an expansion of the Hellenistic unit, featuring new selections from Lucretius and Sextus Empiricus as well as a new translation, by Peter J. Anderson, of most of Seneca’s De Providentia. The selections from Plotinus have also been expanded.

"Were I to include Seneca in a course on the Renaissance or on the Roman origins of our liberal arts ideal I would use Peter Anderson's new translation. The Introduction is excellent: readable and comprehensive. I especially like his discussion of the challenge of translating what he calls Seneca's six key words and their cognates. His lucid overview of the philosophical ideas that informed Seneca's thinking will help readers ponder nature and humanity, the cosmos and the polis, from within Seneca's mind and times. The translation can on occasion be nicely graphic, and thus likely to engage first-time readers, as for example in one of the opening lines of the Consolation to His Mother Helvia: '. . . I kept crawling along (reptare), trying to bind your wounds while I used one hand to keep pressure on mine (manu super plagam meam imposita).'"  —Robert E. Proctor, Joanne Toor Cummings '50 Professor of Italian, Connecticut College

"An excellent tool for students and teachers of Latin literature and Stoic philosophy." —Aldo Dinucci, in Archai

In addition to works by Plato and Xenophon, we know of dozens of treatises and dialogues written by followers of Socrates that are now lost. The surviving evidence for these writings constitutes an invaluable resource for our understanding of Socrates and his philosophical legacy. The Circle of Socrates presents new—sometimes the first—English translations of a representative selection of this evidence, set alongside extracts from Plato and Xenophon. The texts are arranged according to theme, with concise introductions that provide an overview of the topics and the main lines of thought within them.

A Plato Reader offers eight of Plato's best-known works—Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo, Symposium, Phaedrus, and Republic—unabridged, expertly introduced and annotated, and in widely admired translations by C. D. C. Reeve, G. M. A. Grube, Alexander Nehamas, and Paul Woodruff.

"These beautifully wrought student-friendly translations are a most welcome addition to the large literature by and about Plato."
—Terence Ball, Arizona State University

“Joe Sachs has an extraordinary ability to render ancient Greek into English sentences that are so clear and direct that they help readers to look past Aristotle's technical terminology and reflect on the philosophical issues in the text. For beginning students Sachs's translations are an ideal vehicle through which to engage Aristotle's philosophy. For those of us who are more advanced, they are sufficiently different from the traditional translations to open fresh ways of thinking about the texts. Sachs does a fine job with the Politics. The translation is very readable and accurate, and the notes and glossary are insightful. The introductory essay by Lijun Gu valuably emphasizes the importance of book IV."
—Edward Halper, University of Georgia

"This will be the preferred edition of Plato’s Statesman for teachers and students who are serious not only about reading the text in good translation, but also about working through its arguments." —Dustin Gish, College of the Holy Cross

"Having taught Plato's dialogues in my classes over the past forty-three years to upper level undergraduates, I can especially appreciate the value of this new edition of Plato's Statesman. The three translators have paid very close attention to the amazing fecund versatility of the Greek text, producing a translation that is as accurate and lively as possible and the best currently available for classroom use. The interpretative essay is unique in its highlighting of all of the issues that a thoughtful reader should be led to consider concerning this work. As has been the case with other works by these translators, the glossary leads any Greek-less reader as close as possible to the interconnections of the major words that sustain the flow and eddies of this perennially fascinating work." —Donald Lindenmuth, The Pennsylvania State University

The second edition of Philosophy Before Socrates has been updated and expanded to reflect important new discoveries and the most recent scholarship. Changes and additions have been made throughout, the most significant of which are found in the chapters on the Pythagoreans, Parmenides, Zeno, Anaxagoras, and Empedocles, and the new chapter on Philolaus. The translations of some passages have been revised, as have some interpretations and discussions. A new Appendix provides translations of three Hippocratic writings and the Derveni papyrus.

"Curd and McKirahan's A Presocratics Reader is by far the best sourcebook for the Presocratics I've ever used in forty years of teaching ancient philosophy. Pieces I used to have to translate myself, such as the Dissoi Logoi, and Gorgias' Encomium of Helen, are included in the text, in much more skilled translation. The enlarged 2nd edition made a good book better."
     —Samuel C. Wheeler III, University of Connecticut

“A very fine book on human nature, both what it is and what philosophers have thought about it—philosophers in an inclusive sense, from Plato and Aristotle to Mengzi and Xunzi, from Hume and Kant to Ibn al-Arabi to Marx and Rousseau and including many others. The writing is lively and accessible, the philosophy insightful, and the sense of human possibilities conveyed admirable. It will fit nicely into many different sorts of classes.”
     —John Perry, Stanford University

"Shiffman's fidelity both to Aristotle's text and to opening the complex thought contained therein to the contemporary reader is evident throughout this translation. It neither attempts to resolve difficulty nor drown the reader in obscurity; instead, it invites the reader to puzzle through this magnificent and difficult text herself. The wonderful introduction supplies any number of tools to do so and is a model of the rigorous and restrained articulation of essential themes and contemporary resonances. The glossary contains an indispensable and illuminating discussion of terms. Readable and thought-provoking, this translation is particularly well-suited for the classroom. Students at all levels will benefit from its lucidity and provocation to thought." —Sara Brill, Fairfield University

This is an English translation of four of Plato’s dialogues (Protagoras, Euthydemus, Hippias Major, and Cratylus) that explores the topic of sophistry and philosophy, a key concept at the source of Western thought. Includes notes and an introductory essay.

"Perhaps more than any other dialogue, the Cratylus has been in need of retranslation. Yet because it is a dialogue about words that is also replete with plays on words, with pretended etymologies, and perhaps with more comedy than any other dialogue, translating it is a daunting task. There is no one better suited for this task than Joe Sachs. His translations of Greek philosophical classics are widely acclaimed both for their truthfulness to the original Greek text and for their sensitivity to every nuance of the text. Sachs’s translation of the Cratylus is a rare achievement and no doubt will do much to restore to this dialogue its rightful status as one of the major Platonic dialogues." —John Sallis, Boston College

English translation of Plato's dialogue of Socrates with two prominent Sophists, Euthydemus and Dionysodorus, and their conflicting philosophical views, in which Plato satirizes the logical fallacies of the Sophists. With notes, introduction, interpretive essay, and a glossary of important words.

By pairing translations of Gorgias and Rhetoric, along with an outstanding introductory essay, Joe Sachs demonstrates Aristotles response to Plato. If in the Gorgias Plato probes the question of what is problematic in rhetoric, in Rhetoric, Aristotle continues the thread by looking at what makes rhetoric useful. By juxtaposing the two texts, an interesting "conversation" is illuminated—one which students of philosophy and rhetoric will find key in their analytical pursuits.

This volume gathers together the most important evidence about Stoic thought surviving from the ancient world. It is an expanded version of the section on Stoicism in Inwood and Gerson's Hellenistic Philosophy, consolidating related texts into larger, more continuous selections, adding material on the skeptical attack on Stoicism, and a short section that introduces the reader to some of the more interesting texts on Stoic ethics from the Roman imperial period.

"Joe Sachs, known and respected for his excellent translations of Aristotle, deserves great praise for this new translation of Plato's Republic. Based on the latest definitive edition of the Greek text and guided by a sense that Greek in English need not read like an old, foreign tongue, Sachs' translation captures the flow of the conversation in an English that reads smoothly, even when the ideas expressed force one to pause and look again. Fluid, yet accurate, Sachs' translation allows the thoughtful reader deeper entry into this all-important book. The editorial guides and typographical signs to remind the reader of who has joined the argument most recently are all highly helpful and most welcome. I look forward to reading this with students." —Charles E. Butterworth, University of Maryland

"I find the Introduction extremely convincing, lucid, learned, fair to past scholarship, and truly illuminating about the meaning of tragedy in general and about the very specific acceptions of hamartia, katharsis, ekplêxis, and thauma, in the context of an appropriate understanding of the Poetics. Another remarkable feature is the dexterity and ease with which it draws on all the relevant parts of the Aristotelian corpus to shed light on troublesome textual passages in the Poetics. Finally, the style of the Introduction is straightforward, free of unnecessary jargon, direct, and economical, the best interpretation of the Poetics I ever read." —Sabetai Unguru, Tel Aviv University

This collection features Plato's writings on sex and love in the preeminent translations of Stanley Lombardo, Paul Woodruff and Alexander Nehamas, D. S. Hutchinson, and C. D. C. Reeve. Reeve's Introduction provides a wealth of historical information about Plato and Socrates, and the sexual norms of classical Athens. His introductory essay looks closely at the dialogues themselves and includes the following sections: Socrates and the Art of Love; Socrates and Athenian Paiderastia; Loving Socrates; Love and the Ascent to the Beautiful; The Art and Psychology of Love Explained; and Writing about Love.

"Arieti and Barrus have provided us with a fine contribution to the literature on Plato's Gorgias. This text includes a literal translation of the Gorgias with a helpful introductory essay, and copious notes. It includes a priceless appendix of the only literal translations available today of several key speeches from Thucydides, as well as a valuable glossary and appendices on the rules of dialectic that may be derived from the arguments of the Gorgias, and on Plato's use of the terms mythos and logos, with which not all scholars may agree, but which I think all should find of interest."
     —Michael Palmer, University of Maine

"Philosopher-Kings broke new ground on its first appearance by delivering to an audience accustomed to looking for flaws in Plato's thinking an interpretation of the Republic that celebrates the coherence of Plato's argument as it ramifies through every cranny of that controversial work. Reeve's book swiftly became a classic of Platonic scholarship and has never lost its grip. Its reissue by Hackett is a very welcome event."
     —G.R.F. Ferrari, University of California, Berkeley

"Kremer's is an attractive text because of its combination of simplicity and strong delivery, and this is true regarding his translation and his interpretive essay alike. He has striven for a scrupulous accuracy in his translation, and he has achieved this without sacrificing readability or neglecting the distinctive tone of Plato and Xenophon."
     —Norma Thompson, Yale University

"Sachs's outstanding new translation of Plato's Theaetetus is lucid, readable, and faithful to the original. More than that, it is a translation for the thoughtful reader. Through his striking translations of key terms, Sachs compels the reader to think more deeply about Plato's intent. He shows that Plato's return within the dialogue to the same word or to its cognates is no accident but signals a philosophical trope in Plato's thought. The work's introduction avoids presenting a stock summary of the topics covered or a rehearsal of the failed arguments. Instead, it makes the case for regarding the Theaetetus as Plato's 'missing' work on The Philosopher. Through the 'variety of attempts, errors, new beginnings, and false turns that the dialogue presents,' Sachs argues, Socrates provokes his interlocutors and Plato's readers to strive to cross the boundary between mere opinion and the kind of thinking that is philosophy."
     —Roslyn Weiss, Lehigh University

"This is a fine translation, both fluent and accurate. It captures the range of tonalities of the original in elegant English that is neither stiffly formal nor cheaply colloquial. . . . The supplementary matter is appropriate and useful. The introduction is crisp and clear, the interpretive essay illuminating. . . . Scully has done a sound and serious job of translating and annotating for the general reader. Above all, his translation is excellent in respect to style and clarity: really a pleasure to read."
     —David Konstan, Brown University

This volume collects all of the surviving state funeral orations from Athens, including Thucydides, Gorgias, Lysias, Plato Menexenus, Demosthenes, and Hyperides. To stimulate student discussion and comparison, Lincoln's address at Gettysburg is included in an appendix. Translations are in English, including introduction and notes, as well as literary and historical commentary.

"A treasure-house of vital information, exhaustively and meticulously researched, presented with clarity and verve. Students of Plato's dialogues—and other Socratic writings—will no longer be frustrated by wading through dispersed and difficult to use scholarly tomes to find out about Meno's family and career or Plato's brothers or uncles or who Thucydides son of Melesias was, and his relation to the historian. With philosophical readers foremost in mind, Nails tells all. From now on, anyone reading Plato will always have this book nearby."
     —John M. Cooper, Princeton University

"C.D.C. Reeve has made a remarkable contribution to the study of Aristotle’s metaphysics, not least because his interpretation restores Aristotle’s theology to its central place. His book will be important reading not only for scholars engaged in debate about Aristotle’s text, but also for the rest of us, because it is both an interpretation of Aristotle and a significant metaphysical inquiry in its own right."
     —Alasdair MacIntyre, Duke University

Socrates and Alcibiades: Four Texts gathers together translations our four most important sources for the relationship between Socrates and the most controversial man of his day, the gifted and scandalous Alcibiades. In addition to Alcibiades’ famous speech from Plato’s Symposium, this text includes two dialogues, the Alcibiades I and Alcibiades II, attributed to Plato in antiquity but unjustly neglected today, and the complete fragments of the dialogue Alcibiades by Plato’s contemporary, Aeschines of Sphettus. These works are essential reading for anyone interested in Socrates’ improbable love affair with Athens’ most desirable youth, his attempt to woo Alcibiades from his ultimately disastrous worldly ambitions to the philosophical life, and the reasons for Socrates’ failure, which played a large role in his conviction by an Athenian court on charges of impiety and corrupting the youth.

The second edition of Five Dialogues presents G. M. A. Grube’s distinguished translations, as revised by John Cooper for Plato, Complete Works. A number of new or expanded footnotes are also included along with an updated bibliography.