OLYMPIODORUS

COMMENTARY ON

PLATO’S GORGIAS

This book provides a translation of the only surviving ancient commentary on Plato’s Gorgias, written by the Alexandrian Platonist Olympiodorus in the sixth century AD (Common Era). There are substantial notes on the commentary that assist the reader in understanding the context of Olympiodorus' Platonism, the interpretive choices available to him, and the unique characteristics of his reading of the text. A substantial introduction tackles the issues of greatest interest that arise from the work, including the author’s mission as a Hellenist A follower of classical Greek culture and religion, often contrasted with the rising influence of Christianity in Late Antiquity. resisting Christian attacks on his discipline. Indices are provided. The authors demonstrate that there is significantly more value in this commentary than is often assumed, and that the differences between Olympiodorus' approach and those of modern commentators are frequently illuminating.

Robin Jackson, Ph.D. (1981), Princeton University, taught Classics at the University of Melbourne and has published extensively on Plato and Olympiodorus. He is currently the Assistant Director of the Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in the United Kingdom.

Kimon Lycos, B.Phil., Oxford University, taught philosophy at several universities, most recently at the University of Melbourne. He passed away in Melbourne in 1995, leaving behind many philosophical publications, including Plato on Justice and Power (Macmillan, 1987).

Harold Tarrant, Ph.D. (1972) in Classics, Durham University, is Professor of Classics at the University of Newcastle, NSW (New South Wales). His numerous publications on ancient Platonists include Scepticism or Platonism? (Cambridge UP, 1985) and Thrasyllan Platonism (Cornell UP).