Plato on Poetry: Ion; Republic 376e-398b9; Republic 595-608b10

by Plato, Penelope Murray (Editor)

Overview

This is a commentary on selected texts of Plato concerned with poetry: the Ion and relevant sections of the Republic. It is the first commentary to present these texts together in one volume, and the first in English on Republic 2 and 3 and Ion for nearly 100 years. The introduction sets Plato's views in their Greek context and outlines their influence on later aesthetic thought. An important feature of the commentary is its exploration of the ambivalence of Plato's pronouncements through an analysis of his own skill as a writer.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521349819
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	03/07/1996
Series:	Cambridge Greek and Latin Classics
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	264
Product dimensions:	4.88(w) x 7.32(h) x 0.67(d)

About the Author

Plato, one of the most famous philosophers in the world, lived during the Classical Period in Ancient Greece. A student of Socrates and a teacher to Aristotle, he was the founder of The Academy, the first school of higher learning in Europe. Plato is the most prominent figure in the history of Ancient Greek philosophy and the originator of the Platonist school of thought. Using dramatic elements like dialogue and humor, his form of writing was considered innovative in his time. Plato's best–known work, The Republic, is widely acknowledged as the cornerstone of Western philosophy. His other extensively read works include The Symposium, Apology, Crito, Phaedo, and The Laws.

Table of Contents

Introduction: 1. Mimesis; 2. Poetry and inspiration; 3. Plato as poet; 4. The battle between poetry and philosophy; 5. Plato and Homer; 6. The Platonic legacy; 7. The text; Ion; Republic 376e–398b9; Republic 595–608b10; Commentary; Appendix: Poetic inspiration in Plato; Bibliography; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"The value of Murray's book...lies above all in the encouragement which it gives those able to read Plato in the original to undertake a concentrated and connected reconsideration of the literary details of the three central Platonic texts on poetry. Her commentary...is consistently sensitive, reliable, and balanced in its judgements...anyone who wants to get close to the fine grain of Plato's arguments in these three important texts will be helped as well as stimulated by the information and guidance offered by Murray's book." International Journal of the Classical Tradition

From the Publisher