| Author |
Plato, 428? BCE-348? BCE |
| Translator |
Jowett, Benjamin, 1817-1893 |
| Title |
Lysis
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| Note |
Reading ease score: 74.9 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
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| Credits |
Produced by Sue Asscher, and David Widger
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| Summary |
"Lysis" by Plato is a philosophical dialogue written during the classical period of ancient Greece, approximately in the 4th century BC. This work takes the form of a Socratic dialogue and revolves around the exploration of friendship, particularly what true friendship entails and the nature of love between two individuals. The dialogue features Socrates and two young Athenian boys, Lysis and Menexenus, and delves into complex questions about the definitions and conditions of friendship. In "Lysis," Socrates engages the youths in a series of probing discussions to uncover the essence of friendship. The conversation begins with Socrates questioning Lysis about his relationship with his parents, leading to reflections on wisdom and knowledge as prerequisites for being loved by others. As the dialogue progresses, the characters grapple with various perspectives on friendship—whether it is based on similarity, utility, or some deeper connection, ultimately concluding that no definitive answers are reached. The boys contemplate if love exists solely between those who reciprocate feelings. Plato intricately weaves together ideas of good and evil, desire, and the interplay of wisdom, suggesting that friendship arises in the desire for good and knowledge despite their inability to clearly define it by the end of the dialogue. The work thus invites readers to ponder the complexities of human relationships and the fundamental nature of connection. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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| Language |
English |
| LoC Class |
B: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion
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| LoC Class |
PA: Language and Literatures: Classical Languages and Literature
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| Subject |
Classical literature
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| Subject |
Socrates, 470 BC-399 BC
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| Subject |
Friendship -- Early works to 1800
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| Category |
Text |
| EBook-No. |
1579 |
| Release Date |
Dec 1, 1998 |
| Most Recently Updated |
Jan 16, 2013 |
| Copyright Status |
Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads |
510 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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