I sold poetry to seventh-graders and introduced gifted eighth-graders to Greek philosophy. Their greatest compliment was “you make my head explode!”
Olivia, your beautiful writing has made my head explode. You have reignited thoughts of Plato that I will carry in my pocket as I make my way through this current world of shadows. Thank you!
Reading this makes me want to return to Plato and reminds me how much I love the Apology. It was the first Plato I read and is a great starting place. I think the Republic, while definitely a great work, may be the worst place to start. My favorite is the Symposium.
I agree about the Republic—the sections on the tripartite soul, the divided line, and the Allegory of the soul are all “key Platonic passages” in my mind, but the extended city image makes it hard to track what he’s actually talking about. I think Meno/Timaeus might be the hardest to read though—Meno just kind of leaves you hanging, and Timaeus has all the cosmology stuff.
I love the Symposium! One of my other favorite dialogues, Tullia D’Aragona’s Dialogue on the Infinity of Love, was written in response to a Renaissance craze where everyone was writing their own dialogues on the Symposium.
I'm not at all qualified to answer this question, but I'd say just dive in! The more you read Plato, the more pieces fall into place.
The dialogues about Socrates’ death (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo) are a common starting place. They focus more on questions of virtue and justice then on epistemology, and there’s the whole dramatic element surrounding Socrates’ death, trial, and his friends’ response, which makes it fun. Some of my personal favorites: The Republic (of course), Meno, Timaeus, and Theaetetus. One of my college professors wrote this commentary on Theaetetus that I'd recommend; his thoughts on Plato were key in shaping how I read and interpret his epistemology: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Acts-Commentary-Platos-Theaetetus/dp/1956715738
I have the Hackett Publishing volume of Plato's complete works, which has a great introductory note to how to read a dialogue and how we have to read each dialogue in terms of the whole corpus, as well as different ways that Plato has been interpreted over the years.
I think you've hit on something timeless here when you ask: What can literature--and philosophy--infuse into the blood of life?
This is the question to never stop asking. It reminds me of a quote from Andrei Tarkovsky: "The aim of art is to prepare a person for death."
Love that quote! That pairs well with Plato’s own “philosophy is the study of dying well.”
I am in my Heidegger/ Focault arch right now, but if you keep writing like this I might have to return to my roots.
I sold poetry to seventh-graders and introduced gifted eighth-graders to Greek philosophy. Their greatest compliment was “you make my head explode!”
Olivia, your beautiful writing has made my head explode. You have reignited thoughts of Plato that I will carry in my pocket as I make my way through this current world of shadows. Thank you!
Thank you for these words!! Plato makes my head explode, so I’m happy I’ve captured a bit of that wonder :)
Reading this makes me want to return to Plato and reminds me how much I love the Apology. It was the first Plato I read and is a great starting place. I think the Republic, while definitely a great work, may be the worst place to start. My favorite is the Symposium.
I agree about the Republic—the sections on the tripartite soul, the divided line, and the Allegory of the soul are all “key Platonic passages” in my mind, but the extended city image makes it hard to track what he’s actually talking about. I think Meno/Timaeus might be the hardest to read though—Meno just kind of leaves you hanging, and Timaeus has all the cosmology stuff.
I love the Symposium! One of my other favorite dialogues, Tullia D’Aragona’s Dialogue on the Infinity of Love, was written in response to a Renaissance craze where everyone was writing their own dialogues on the Symposium.
Inspiring!
Where should I begin?
I'm not at all qualified to answer this question, but I'd say just dive in! The more you read Plato, the more pieces fall into place.
The dialogues about Socrates’ death (Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Phaedo) are a common starting place. They focus more on questions of virtue and justice then on epistemology, and there’s the whole dramatic element surrounding Socrates’ death, trial, and his friends’ response, which makes it fun. Some of my personal favorites: The Republic (of course), Meno, Timaeus, and Theaetetus. One of my college professors wrote this commentary on Theaetetus that I'd recommend; his thoughts on Plato were key in shaping how I read and interpret his epistemology: https://www.amazon.com/Three-Acts-Commentary-Platos-Theaetetus/dp/1956715738
I have the Hackett Publishing volume of Plato's complete works, which has a great introductory note to how to read a dialogue and how we have to read each dialogue in terms of the whole corpus, as well as different ways that Plato has been interpreted over the years.