Synopses & Reviews
Olympiodorus (c. AD 500-570), possibly the last non-Christian teacher of pagan philosophy in Alexandria, follows earlier Neoplatonists in locating the First Alcibiades at the start of the curriculum on Plato, because it is about knowing oneself. Socrates tells the aristocratic playboy Alcibiades that he needs to know himself before he can get beyond virtues born of nature or habit and reach the first level of the philosopher's hierarchy of virtues, the virtues of ordinary civic interaction. The self he is to know also has a hierarchy of levels, and at the lowest civic level, it is the individual self with its particular actions. Readers of the dialogue are beginners like Alcibiades, able to benefit in virtue from conversation with Socrates.
The full hierarchy of virtues, to be revealed as other dialogues of Plato are studied, is anticipated by including a Life of Plato, because Plato displays all the levels of virtue. As Olympiodorus delivers these introductory lectures to a mainly Christian audience, he takes great pains to tell his Christian students that the different words they use are symbols very often of shared truths, which they too accept.
This English translation of Olympiodorus' works is a new volume in the Ancient Commentators on Aristotle series and makes this philosophical work accessible to a modern readership. The translation is accompanied by an introduction, comprehensive commentary notes, bibliography, glossary of translated terms and a subject index.
Synopsis
Olympiodorus (AD c. 500-570), possibly the last non-Christian teacher of philosophy in Alexandria, delivered these lectures as an introduction to Plato with a biography. For us, they can serve as an accessible introduction to late Neoplatonism. Olympiodorus locates the First Alcibiades at the start of the curriculum on Plato, because it is about self-knowledge. His pupils are beginners, able to approach the hierarchy of philosophical virtues, like the aristocratic playboy Alcibiades. Alcibiades needs to know himself, at least as an individual with particular actions, before he can reach the virtues of mere civic interaction. As Olympiodorus addresses mainly Christian students, he tells them that the different words they use are often symbols of truths shared between their faiths.
About the Author
Olympiodorus (AD c. 500-570 CE) was one of the latest non-Christian teachers of pagan philosophy in Alexandria.
Michael Griffin is Assistant Professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.
Table of Contents
Conventions
Textual Emendations
Introduction
Translator's Note
Translation
Notes
Select Bibliography
English-Greek Glossary
Greek-English Index
Index of Names
Subject Index