With an introduction by Jane O'Grady. Translated by Tom Griffith. In the Symposium, a group of Athenian aristocrats attends a reception and discusses love, until the drunken Alcibiades bursts in and decides to talk about Socrates. The Symposium offers an unparalleled glimpse into the vibrant society that was Athens at the height of its empire.

The atmosphere of the other dialogues is much darker. Socrates is tried for impiety and sentenced to death. Euthyphro discusses the nature of virtue, the Apology is Socrates' speech in his defense, Crito explains his refusal to escape from punishment, and Phaedo gives an account of Socrates' last day.

These dialogues have never before been offered in a single volume. Tom Griffith's translation of the Symposium has been described as 'possibly the best translation of any Platonic dialogue.'