Composed in the fourth century b.c., the Phaedrus—a dialogue between Phaedrus and Socrates—deals ostensibly with love but develops into a wide-ranging discussion of such subjects as the pursuit of beauty, the nature of humanity, the immortality of the soul, and the attainment of truth, ending with an in-depth discussion of the principles of rhetoric. This erudite commentary, which also includes the original Greek text, is designed to help intermediate-level students of Greek read, understand, and enjoy Plato’s magnificent work.
Drawing on his extensive classroom experience and linguistic expertise, Paul Ryan offers a commentary that is both rich in detail and—in contrast to earlier, more austere commentaries on the Phaedrus—fully engaging. Line by line, he explains subtle points of language, explicates difficulties of syntax, and brings out nuances of tone and meaning that students might not otherwise notice or understand. Ryan sections his commentary into units of convenient length for classroom use, with short summaries at the head of each section to orient the reader.
Never straying far from the text itself, Ryan provides useful historical glosses and annotations for the student, introducing information ranging from the architecture of the Lyceum to Athenian politics. Further historical and philosophical context is provided in the introduction by Mary Louise Gill, who outlines the issues addressed in the Phaedrus and situates it in relation to Plato’s other dialogues.
