Plato, the great philosopher of Athens, was born in 427 B.C. In his early youth, he was an admirer of Socrates, and later he founded the famous school of philosophy in the garden of Academus. Much else recorded about his life is uncertain; it is likely, however, that he left Athens for a period after the execution of Socrates. During his life, he visited Cyrenaica, Egypt, and Sicily. He was wealthy and critical of "progressive" democracy. He lived for 80 years. Linguistic tests, including those of computational science, are still trying to determine the order of his dialogues. In "Laches," "Charmides," and "Lysis," Socrates and others discuss various ethical concepts. In "Protagoras," "Ion," and "Meno," it is debated whether virtue can be taught. In "Gorgias," Socrates distances himself from the thinking of his city, while his fate is impending. The "Apology" (not a dialogue), "Crito," "Euthyphro," and the unforgettable "Phaedrus" concern the trial and death of Socrates, proposing the immortality of the soul. In the famous "Symposium" and "Phaedrus," we find the origin and meaning of love. "Cratylus" discusses the nature of language. The great masterpiece in ten books, the "Republic," deals with virtue (and includes education, gender equality, the structure of society, and the abolition of slavery). Of the six so-called dialectical dialogues, "Euthydemus" examines philosophy; the metaphysical "Parmenides" concerns general concepts and absolute being; "Theaetetus" analyses the theory of knowledge. Of the sequels, the "Sophist" deals with non-being; the "Statesman" with good and bad politics and governments; the "Philebus" with the good. "Timaeus" seeks the origin of the visible universe from abstract geometric elements. The incomplete "Critias" deals with the lost Atlantis. Also incomplete is Plato's last work, the "Laws," a critical discussion of the principles of law that Plato believed the Greeks could accept. The Loeb Classical Library edition of Plato is in twelve volumes.