Phaedrus (Oxford World's Classics)

Plato’s Phaedrus begins with love and ends up asking some of his largest questions about rhetoric, the soul, knowledge and the power of speech. Through Socrates’ conversation with Phaedrus and the dialogue’s famous myths, Plato tests the difference between genuine understanding and persuasion, and between responsible speech and rhetoric used merely to win.

Robin Waterfield provides the translation for this Oxford World’s Classics edition, with supporting material that places the dialogue in its literary and philosophical setting. The combination of argument, myth and vivid imagery makes Phaedrus one of Plato’s most distinctive works, particularly for understanding the relationship between philosophy, rhetoric and the written word.