Synopsis
This text is extracted from Cornford's longer Plato's Cosmology.
Timaeus (c. 360 BCE) is one of Plato's dialogs, mostly in the form of a long monologue given by the title character. The work puts forward speculation on the nature of the physical world & human beings. It's followed by the dialog Critias. Speakers are Socrates, Timaeus of Locri, Hermocrates & Critias. Some believe that it isn't the Critias of the Thirty Tyrants who appears, but his grandfather of the same name. The dialog takes place the day after Socrates described his ideal state. In Plato's works such a discussion occurs in the Republic. Socrates feels that his description of the ideal state wasn't sufficient for the purposes of entertainment & that "I'd be glad to hear some account of it engaging in transactions with other states" (19b). Hermocrates wishes to oblige & mentions that Critias knows just the account (20b) to do so. Critias proceeds to tell the story of Solon's journey to Egypt where he hears the story of Atlantis & how Athens used to be an ideal state that subsequently waged war against Atlantis (25a). Critias believes he's getting ahead of himself, & mentions that Timaeus will tell part of the account from the origin of the cosmos to man. The history of Atlantis is postponed to Critias. The main content of the dialog, Timaeus' exposition, follows.
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Plato's Timaeus
Published by
Macmillan Pub Co, Indianapolis, 1981
ISBN 10: 0672603012
ISBN 13: 9780672603013
Used
Soft cover
Seller: First Landing Books & Arts, Virginia Beach, VA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. 6th. Very Good softcover. 117pp including conclusion. This is an English translation of Plato's dialogue concerning speculation on the nature of the physical world and human beings. An extensive introduction provides careful insights to the reading of the work, the nature of Platonic dialogue and the cultural background of the Timaeus. Appendices on music, astronomy and geometry further provide guidance to the central thoughts of the dialogue. The glossary provides cross references and discussion for key words in the dialogue, functioning as springboards into the various concepts and ideas that are central to this and other Platonic dialogues and are useful starting points for any classroom discussion or personal thought. Seller Inventory # 58064