Notes On Plato's Phaedrus

Abstract

The Phaedrus seems to be one of the stepchilds of classical philology. The most recent commentary is that of W. H. Thompson, published in 1868. This is an excellent work, but it cannot be regarded as definitive : textual criticism as well as our understanding of Plato's idiom and thought have made some progress since that time. Burnet's text (1910) and Robin's edition (1933) are important steps in the right direction, but much is still to be done. So it is greatly to be welcomed that Professor Hackforth has made a translation of the dialogue accompanied by extensive comments *). The following observations are intended as a review of this book. They give a one-sided impression of it, because I have confined myself to a number of criticisms, passing over almost everything I agree with in silence. Therefore let me premise that I have found Professor Hackforth's work a most important contribution to a full understanding of this difficult text. I have added a discussion of the principal points on which Burnet's and Robin's opinions differ, and of some problems which have a certain general interest.