Five Dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, Phaedo (Hackett Classics)

This is the ideal introduction to Plato and to Socrates. Four of the works lead up to the death of Socrates. We first find Socrates, who has just been informed that he's to be prosecuted for impiety, meeting the priest Euthyphro and discussing the nature of piety. In the Apology, Socrates presents his defence in court. After his conviction, his friend Crito visits him in prison and they reflect on justice. Finally, Phaedo describes how Socrates spoke on the nature of the soul with his friends just before his execution. In the extra dialogue, Socrates and Meno discuss the virtue and knowledge. This is a good, readable translation and well-printed.

Purchased this as a light read to help with my research into the origins of CBT therapy. Where the first thought processes came from and I am so impressed. The book itself is broken down into palatable segments so even someone with little to no knowledge can easily understand the writings.

This is the perfect student copy of the dialogues. The translation emphasises conceptual clarity over accuracy with the primary texts. This is ideal for those reading Plato for the first time. Once the concepts are understood, then one can begin to delve into the more precise translations.

When I bought the book over a year ago a was transitioning from GCSE to A level and now I am taking A level philosophy. It was a tough read over the summer but as I've eased into the language I can take in the theory and ideas much better. The book is a great recount of Socrates and I would recommend it as rudimentary reading.

Will be buying more of similar again. Thank you.

Enhance my knowledge of the world changing philosophers

I would recommend this to people who want to get into Plato.

The book contents are fine and the pages are good quality with clear typeface of a decent size, but the book itself is massive and not really portable. You’re not taking this on the bus or train to read. You’ll get a smack for taking up too much room. It’s clear this is to keep costs down and maximise profit. A5 paper is more expensive than A4. By using this size they use fewer pages as well but it’s really cumbersome. If you don’t mind this then the book is great.

Everyone should read this book at some point in their life. The Socratic method is an approach to life where one must challenge social norms and ideals, including morality, that we often readily accept without knowledge of origin and history, and sometimes even the meaning of such norms and ideals. We are at such a critical time where we all must challenge everything we see, hear, think, feel, and share with one another. The facade is broad, and it is powerful. And, it grows by the day. The future is not ours to see. It is ours to question. This book helped put me on track to challenging my thoughts and morals, and everytime I pick it up again, it reminds me to be ever so careful of guarding my mind, because we are prone to fallacies and simplified truths, as well as what we are surrounded by. The world is not what it once was, but was it ever any such way that challenging ouraelves to introspection and trusting in gut intuition wasn't absolutely necessary?

helemaal prima, broerneef. Fijne vertaling, lekker aanvoelende, dunne bladzijdes, en goede voetnoten.

Plato’s Five Dialogues in the Hackett edition is more than philosophy; it’s a training ground for the mind and soul. I first read it years ago, and recently I bought a copy for my son so we could work through it together the summer before he started high school. We went line by line, exploring Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, Meno, and Phaedo, and it was hands-down the best investment we ever made: by the time school began, he could argue, question, and reason with a confidence rooted in centuries of thought. The dialogues are alive with the pursuit of virtue and the examination of life itself. Socrates’ insistence on defining justice, understanding piety, and confronting death resonates deeply with the Catholic worldview, echoing Augustine, the Gospels, and the timeless call to moral courage. Reading Plato alongside Augustine and the classics has shaped the way I approach parenting, education, and even daily decision-making: the cultivation of reason, virtue, and moral clarity is not optional—it is the foundation of life well lived. This edition’s balance of precision and readability makes the text accessible without flattening its power, and sharing it with my son reminded me that the formation of the mind and soul is a multigenerational responsibility. Plato, like Homer, reminds us that civilization rests on ideas, argument, and the courage to pursue truth even when the world resists.

Content is great, but it is hardly 150 pages, and the cost is 1300 INR. Extremely costly.

Higly recommended for all the readers interested in philosophy