Greater Hippias

In 427 B.C., the Ancient Greek city-state of Athens was flourishing.  Approximately 80 years earlier, the Athenians had formed the first self-representative democracy in history, the Peloponnesian War against Sparta had only just started, and Socrates was only beginning to lay the foundation of what would become Western philosophy.  That year Plato was born to a wealthy family: with an uncle who was close friends with Socrates, Plato was seemingly destined to become a philosopher.  By the end of his life, Plato had indeed become the foremost philosopher of his time, and perhaps the most famous philosopher in Western history.

There is some controvery among classical scholars as to whether or not the Lesser Hippias is a genuine work of Plato. There are good arguments for either position, based on style and substance. Regardless, in this dialogue, Socrates engages in a spirited discussion of whether it is better to do wrong intentionally or unintentionally, using examples from Homer.  His foil, Hippias, is vain and boastful. He thinks he knows everything and can do everything. But, as in most of the dialogues, the superior dialectics of Socrates wins out.

This edition of Plato’s Greater Hippias is specially formatted with over a dozen pictures of Plato and other famous Ancient Greek philosophers. It also includes a Table of Contents for easier navigation.