AudioExpert Platos Phaedrus by Plato Read by Ray Childs

Certainly! Plato's Phaedrus is a complex and multifaceted dialogue that covers a wide range of topics, including love, rhetoric, and the nature of the soul. Here's an overview of this important work: 1. Setting and Characters: - Set outside Athens, by a stream under a plane tree - Main characters: Socrates and Phaedrus 2. Structure: - Two main parts: speeches about love and a discussion on rhetoric and writing 3. Key Themes: - The nature of love (eros) - The structure and immortality of the soul - The art of rhetoric and its relation to truth - The superiority of speech over writing - Divine madness and inspiration 4. Speeches on Love: a) Lysias' speech (read by Phaedrus): Argues that non-lovers are preferable to lovers b) Socrates' first speech: Initially agrees with Lysias, but with better rhetoric c) Socrates' second speech (palinode): Retracts his first speech and praises divine love