"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 translation by Dorothea Frede of Plato’s dialogue on the nature of pleasure and its relation to thought and knowledge achieves a high standard of readability and fidelity to the Greek text. The volume includes a cogent introduction, notes, and comprehensive bibliography by Frede.
Learn More"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
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.
Learn MoreThe 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.
Learn More"A complete and unified account of Plato’s epistemology . . . scholarly, historically sensitive, and philosophically sophisticated. Above all it is sensible. . . . White’s strength is that he places Plato’s preoccupation in careful historical perspective, without belittling the intrinsic difficulties of the problems he tackled. . . . White’s project is to find a continuous argument running through Plato’s various attacks on epistemological problems. No summary can do justice to his remarkable success . . . "
—Ronald B. De Sousa, University of Toronto, in Phoenix
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.
Learn More“An indispensable storehouse of information and analysis—essential reading nowadays just as in 1935, when it first appeared. . . . Plato’s Cosmology continues to be the constant reference point of any serious study of the Timaeus.”
—John M. Cooper, Princeton University
Plato's Thought offers an excellent introduction to Plato, guiding the reader through Plato's Theory of Forms, and examining his views on art, education and statecraft. This edition includes an introduction, bibliographic essay, and bibliography by Donald Zeyl.
Learn More"This is clearly the definitive edition in English of the Platonic writings. It replaces completely the Hamilton-Cairns collection. . . . The notes are at just the right level, and the index is very helpful. The translations are both readable and accurate." —Michael D. Rohr, Rutgers University
"The most important publishing event in Platonic translation is the Complete Works edited by Cooper and Hutchinson. . . . Hackett has lavished great care in the production of this volume: fine India paper, elegant typography, sewn binding, and cloth boards. . . . It should be in every library and on the shelves of all lovers of Plato." —Steven J. Willett, Syllecta Classica
Learn MoreBy 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.
Learn MoreRichard Janko’s acclaimed translation of Aristotle’s Poetics is accompanied by the most comprehensive commentary available in English that does not presume knowledge of the original Greek. Two other unique features are Janko’s translations with notes of both the Tractatus Coislinianus, which is argued to be a summary of the lost second book of the Poetics, and fragments of Aristotle’s dialogue On Poets, including recently discovered texts about catharsis, which appear in English for the first time.
Learn More"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
Learn More“The book’s major parts, one on polarity and the other on analogy, introduce the reader to the patterns of thinking that are fundamental not only to Greek philosophy but also to classical civilization as a whole. As a leading classicist in his own right, Lloyd is an impeccable guide. His sophistication in adducing anthropological parallels to Greek models of polarity and analogy broadens his perspective, making him a forerunner in the study of what we are now used to calling semiotics. A striking example of Lloyd’s approach is his re-examination of the dichotomy of Olympian and chthonian gods in ancient Greek world view, which surpasses the reductionist and pseudo-historical models of sky-gods and earth-goddesses that are still commonly invoked to account for polarities in Greek pantheon. In the second part, dealing with analogy, three crucial metaphorical models for the universe turn out to be basis for a dazzlingly wide variety of scientific and philosophical perspectives. Each model is tested in the whole spectrum of Greek artistic, philosophical and scientific thought. This work is a treasure-house of insights for experts and non experts alike.”
—Gregory Nagy, Harvard University
“The beautifully crafted English of Reeve’s translation is as crisp and lucid as Aristotle’s Greek. One is constantly impressed with Reeve’s instinct for the right word in rendering the rich vocabulary of Aristotle’s thoughts about politics and for his ability to capture the subtleties of Aristotelian syntax. Highly recommended.” —David Keyt, University of Washington
“This is an admirable translation, meticulous in its attention to Aristotle’s Greek and judicious in its phrasing and choice of terms. It should prove invaluable to beginning students and scholars alike.” —Richard Kraut, Northwestern University
Learn More“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
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
Learn More“This volume is an impressive tour de force. It is state-of-the-art Aristotle: it employs the most recent philological, philosophical, and logical advances which since the 1970’s at least have rendered previous translations and commentaries obsolete. The translation is the first to take account of the recent epistemically orientated natural-deduction approach, which restores Aristotle’s reputation as a consummate logician and reveals much more of Aristotle’s method than previous approaches. Every page of Robin Smith’s commentary shows extensive learning, taste, imagination, and skill. . . . An important and lasting contribution, not only to Aristotle scholarship and to the history of logic, but also to the history of philosophy itself.”
—John Corcoran, SUNY Buffalo
“Kahn’s excellent knowledge of the texts is apparent and his familiarity with the scholarly literature is manifest. . . . The volume is attractively written and and produced, and will do a real service in making the Pythagorean tradition . . . accessible to non-specialists.”
—Richard McKirahan, Philosophy in 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
Learn More“Reason and Human Good in Aristotle opens up issues of interpretation which are as alive today as when it originally appeared. After almost two decades of extraordinary influence, this succinct book remains a ‘must’ for any serious bibliography of Aristotle’s Ethics.”
—Sarah Broadie, Princeton University
The revised edition of Grube’s classic translation follows and furthers Grube’s noted success in combining fidelity to Plato’s text with natural readability, while reflecting the fruits of new scholarship and insights into Plato’s thought since publication of the first edition in 1974. A new introduction, index, and bibliography by Professor Reeve are included in this new rendering.
“C.D.C. Reeve has taken the excellent Grube translation and, without sacrificing accuracy, rendered it into a vivid and contemporary style. It is intensity that is often lost in translation, but not here. This is not just a matter of style. The Republic is full of brilliant thoughts, and one needs to preserve brilliance to capture them. In the cave of translations, Reeve’s revision of Grube’s Republic is closest to the sun.” —Jonathan Lear, University of Chicago
Learn More"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
Learn MoreSeries: 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.
Learn More"[A] model of eclectic methodology, giving a fascinating picture of ancient views of animals, man, and medicine at the interface of popular belief and philosophy, of folklore and science, of ideology and criticism."
—Helen King, Medical History
“Judicious in every respect: selection, translation and structuring of the texts, footnotes, bibliography, and index. . . . The book of choice for undergraduate courses.”
—Edward M. Galligan, University of North Carolina
"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
Learn MoreSocrates 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.
Learn MoreThis 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
Learn More“Reeve’s book is an excellent companion to Plato’s Apology and a valuable discussion of many of the main issues that arise in the early dialogues. Reeve is an extremely careful reader of texts, and his familiarity with the legal and cultural background of Socrates’ trial allows him to correct many common misunderstandings of that event. In addition, he integrates his reading of the apology with a sophisticated discussion of Socrates’ philosophy. The writing is clear and succinct, and the research is informed by a thorough acquaintance with the secondary literature. Reeve’s book will be accessible to any serious undergraduate, but it is also a work that will have to be taken into account by every scholar doing advanced research on Socrates.”
—Richard Kraut, Northwestern University
This is an English translation of Plato presenting a new conception of the Theory of Forms. Socrates and others discuss the epistemological and metaphysical puzzles of the Parmenides, with aims to define the meaning of the Sophist. The glossary of key terms is a unique addition to Platonic literature by which concepts central to each dialogue are discussed and cross-referenced as to their occurrences throughout the work. In such a way students are encouraged to see beyond the words into concepts.
Learn More"This translation of one of Plato's most challenging dialogues is so unpretentiously honest that it risks undercutting its own significant merits. As far as I can judge, it will prove most helpful not only to students of classical studies and philosophy, but to anybody who is interested in the questions treated by the Sophist. Clarity seems to be the editor and translator's aim, and it is well achieved in: (a) an introduction which without philosophical arm-twisting brings in the views of some modern philosophers on negative and false statement (as inconclusive as Plato's), (b) a select bibliography and a summary of the arguments which students will find useful, and (c) a translation of the text in civilized modern English. Space forbids the adduction of parallel passages. However, I do not hesitate to claim that in terms of accuracy and credible conversational style, the translation will stand comparision with those of A.E. Taylor and F.M. Cornford."
—David Rankin, in The Classical Review
"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
Learn More“The original publication of Rowe’s translation in 1995 was a landmark event in the study of this fascinating but enigmatic dialogue. Based on a careful and convincing revised Greek text, the contemporary English of this unpretentious, clear, and—above all—accurate revised version make it by far the best available. In fact, Rowe’s translation is now and will surely remain the only acceptable choice.”
—John Cooper, Princeton University
This edition of Martin Ostwald's revised version of J. B. Skemp's 1952 translation of Statesman includes a new selected bibliography, as well as Ostwald's interpretive introduction, which traces the evolution in Plato's political philosophy from Republic to Statesman to Laws—from philosopher-king to royal statesman.
Learn More"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
"The Symposium challenges the translator who is also a poet in its range of styles which is unique among the Platonic dialogues. Not only does the translator have to mimic the distinct style of the narrator, Apollodoros, and the seven symposiasts . . . he has to mind and represent the action in this the most dramatic of the Platonic dialogues. Sharon's translation meets these challenges and is a brilliant recovery of the style and drama of the Symposium. I know of no other translation that is so appropriately various in the styles adopted by and for the speakers or which is so attentive to the drama of this dialogue which celebrates a tragic victory."
—Diskin Clay, Duke University
"A model of the kind of text one needs for lecture courses: the translation is extremely readable and made even more accessible by intelligent printing decisions (on dividing the text, spacing for clarification, etc.); the notes are kept to a minimum but appear when they are really needed for comprehension and are truly informative. And the introduction admirably presents both basic information and a sense of current scholarly opinion." —S. G. Nugent, Princeton University
"A fantastic book. Translation is graceful and elegant yet uncannily accurate. Footnotes very useful, especially for teaching purposes, and the price is surprisingly low." —Eve Browning Cole, University of Minnesota
Learn More"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
Learn MoreIn 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.
Learn MoreIncludes an introduction, the ancient biography of Epicurus, the extant letters, ancient collections of maxims, doxographical reports, the testimony of Cicero, the testimony of Lucretius, and the polemic of Plutarch. Short fragments and testimonia from known works: From On Nature, From the Puzzles, From On the Goal, From the Symposium, From Against Theophrastus, Fragments of Epicurus’ letters. Short fragments and testimonia from uncertain works: Logic and epistemology, Physics and theology, Ethics.
Learn More“The Essential Plotinus is a lifesaver. For many years my students in Greek and Roman Religion have depended on it to understand the transition from antiquity to the Middle Ages. The translation is crisp and clear, and the excerpts are just right for an introduction to Plotionus’s many-layered view of the world and humankind’s place in it.”
—F. E. Romer, University of Arizona
Gómez-Lobo argues that behind the facade of Socratic irony lies a strictly deductive system of ethics suspended from two axioms—one governing practical rationality and the other specifying the ingredients of the good life. In the Gorgias, the author contends, Plato tries to found Socratic ethics on a metaphysical principle about goodness in general, from which the axiom concerning the good life can be derived.
Learn More"Will be of interest both to those who know Greek and to those who do not, and, it is hoped, will provide a contribution to the serious study of the sophist movement. . . . Fascinating reading."
—The Classical Review
"The Original Sceptics contains a wealth of analysis, argument and philological comment, and it undoubtedly succeeds in making the reader aware of the difficulties involved in discovering what the ancient sceptics really held.”
—F. C. White, Australasian Journal of Philosophy
"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
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.
Learn MoreThis comprehensive account of the history of ancient Greek thought circa 600 to 400 B.C. offers an accessible, nontechnical introduction to Presocratic philosophy. Translations of the surviving fragments of Presocratic writings serve as a foundation from which the discussion proceeds. Also included are maps, notes, and an index of names and terms. (Co-published in the U.K. by Gerald Duckworth and Company, Ltd. HPC holds rights in North America and U.S. Dependencies)
Learn MoreThis 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.
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