The First Biography of Plato

Dear Classical Wisdom Members,

There has never been a proper biography of the famed Greek philosopher Plato… and this is apparently for a good reason.

But recently, renowned translator and independent scholar, Robin Waterfield has done what was previously considered an impossible task. After he published the first full biography of Plato, we caught up with him to ask:

Why hasn’t this been done before? What are some of the lesser known sources for Plato’s life? Can these texts be taken seriously? And if they are, what do they reveal about the man, the works and the legacy of Plato?

Classical Wisdom Members, please enjoy this month’s Podcast with Professors with Robin Waterfield, above.  

You can also find the transcript above and you can download the audio below.

In addition to thirty volumes of translations of works of Greek literature, Robin is the author of numerous books, ranging from children’s fiction to Greek philosophy and history. His books include: ‘Epictetus, The Complete Works: Handbook, Discourses, and Fragments’, as well as the much acclaimed, ‘Marcus Aurelius’ Meditations: The Annotated Edition’.

Today we discuss his most recent book, ‘Plato of Athens: A Life in Philosophy’, which you can purchase for yourself here.

From his childhood to Plato’s academy, enjoy an in-depth look at the life of Plato and how we know anything about him in the first place!

All the best,
Anya Leonard
Founder and Director
Classical Wisdom

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