PREFACE

Work began on this translation in 1990 with assistance from the Australian Research Council Small Grants Scheme, administered first by the University of Sydney and subsequently by the University of Melbourne. The broader project aimed to examine ancient interpretations of those less dogmatic dialogues of Plato once labeled "zetetic" Greek term meaning "searching" or "inquisitive."—a task inevitably involving Olympiodorus, the author of surviving commentaries on two such works. The initial goal was to focus on the Gorgias and achieve a thorough appreciation of Olympiodorus’ lectures on it, a task we believed would be enhanced by producing an annotated translation. We held an early conviction that this commentary would yield far more interest than the dismissive remarks of some modern scholars suggested, particularly when approached by a team whose primary interests were centered not on Byzantium or Neoplatonism, but rather on the Platonic texts themselves and their potential meaning for different generations.

Equal responsibility was shared by the three translators during the initial stages, and all contributed to the notes. More importantly, we benefited greatly from each other’s distinct insights and approaches during our joint discussions. Michael Curran, our part-time research assistant, put significant effort into background tasks and deserves special thanks. The project was delayed by unforeseen factors: delicate problems at Ormond College, University of Melbourne, took up much of Jackson’s time; health issues hindered Lycos; and Tarrant’s move to the University of Newcastle, NSW, in 1993 created further distractions. Subsequently, Jackson left for the UK to pursue a different career, and Lycos passed away in late 1995—though not before publishing a significant article related to this project. This left Tarrant with the bulk of the responsibility for completing the notes, fine-tuning the translation, and writing the introduction. However, our early meetings, in which all three wrestled with the specific difficulties raised by portions of the text, were crucial for understanding this commentary and determined the overall form our work would take.