The Last Days of Socrates by Plato

Translated by Hugh Tredennick

200 Oages, Penguin Classic Paperback

180 x 110 x 7mm (L x W x T)

Condition: GOOD - A typical, average used book.  Will have small/minor signs of wear, though no tears on either cover or pages.  Binding is sound.  All of our books are second hand (Unless stated otherwise) and may contain markings, signatures and/or gift inscriptions

Genres: Philosophy / Classics / Ancient History / Politics / Biography

Behold, a record of the life and demise of Socrates, sire of Western philosophy, and a delineation of his profound influence upon the most eminent philosophers of ancient Hellas. Plato's The Last Days of Socrates, rendered from the Hellenic tongue by Hugh Tredennick, and subsequently revised with introductory discourse and annotations by Harold Tarrant, now finds its place within the Penguin Classics corpus.

The trial and condemnation of Socrates, upon accusations of impiety and the corruption of youth, stand as a pivotal moment in the annals of Classical Athens. Through four dialogues, Plato traces these events, wherein he also unfolds his own philosophical tenets, built upon Socrates' doctrine of a life governed by personal accountability. In the Euthyphro, Socrates is discovered outside the tribunal, engaging in debate concerning the essence of piety. The Apology serves as his vigorous refutation of the charges leveled against him, and a defense of the philosophical life. Within the Crito, as he awaits his execution within the prison walls, Socrates counters the pleas of his friends, who urge him to flee. Finally, the Phaedo portrays him as serene in the face of death, artfully arguing for the soul's immortality.

Hugh Tredennick's seminal translation, first brought forth in the year 1954, has been revisited and refined by Harold Tarrant, reflecting the evolving landscape of Platonic scholarship, with an introduction and expanded prefaces to each of the four dialogues.