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The Roots of Political Philosophy:
Ten Forgotten Socratic Dialogues
Ten Forgotten Socratic Dialogues
This book consists of literal English translations of ten Socratic dialogues that have been largely neglected for the last century.... Pangle offers a spirited criticism of arguments that have been adduced to support the view that some of the dialogues are counterfeit and shows in scrupulous detail why he believes in their authenticity....
Opening an entirely new dimension of Platonic studies, The Roots of Political Philosophy addresses, in a fresh or unfamiliar perspective, major themes and puzzles.... Political scientists, philosophers and students who are familiar with the textual approach associated with Leo Strauss will welcome this book, as will other readers with an interest in ancient Greek philosophy and political thought.
Opening an entirely new dimension of Platonic studies, The Roots of Political Philosophy addresses, in a fresh or unfamiliar perspective, major themes and puzzles.... Political scientists, philosophers and students who are familiar with the textual approach associated with Leo Strauss will welcome this book, as will other readers with an interest in ancient Greek philosophy and political thought.
The translations are good.... The editorial purpose is clearly to present a modern translation for readers with no Greek, and a dependable translation for scholars unwilling or unable to deal always with the original text. Footnotes explain significant text variants and provide helpful historical information. An especially good introduction by the editor deals with the authenticity of the opuscula. Roots is a valuable document for both serious and casual students of Platonic philosophy.
-Religious Studies Review
Pangle's excellent introduction explores the question of authenticity and successfully challenges prejudices that would obstruct an accepting reconsideration of these puzzling and provocative dialogues.... The sense of the interpretive essays is as paradoxical as the little dialogues themselves. They are provocative, painstakingly detailed with respect to mythological, historical, and philological evidence, and uncompromising in connecting themes and questions with those in well-known Platonic works.... The need for substantial revisions in our understanding of the Socratic/Platonic enterprise is clearly indicated in these dialogues and interpretive essays.
-Canadian Journal of Political Science
Chinese Translation
