​CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY ARCHIVES

Our classical philosophy archives include primary and secondary sources focused on ancient philosophical texts from the Golden Age of Athens in the 5th century BC to the fall of Rome and the beginning of the Middle Ages in the 5th century AD. The difficulty level of each text is identified by the following codes: B [Beginner]: appropriate for those with no background in philosophy; I [Intermediate]:  requires a minimal background in philosophy or the history of ideas; A [Advanced]: most suitable for those with some background in philosophy.

GENERAL BACKGROUND TO THE CLASSICAL PHILOSOPHY

Maurice de Wulf, "Overview of Greek Phil 1: Pre-Socratic Philosophy" [I]
Maurice de Wulf, "Overview of Greek Phil 2: Socrates to Aristotle" [I]
Maurice de Wulf, "Overview of Greek Phil 3: Aristotle to the Rise of Neo-Platonism" [I]
Maurice de Wulf, "Overview of Greek Phil 4: Rise of Neo-Platonism" [I]
Frederick Mayer, "The Greek View of Immortality" [B]
Frederick Mayer, "The Beginnings of Hellenistic Philosophy" [B]
Frederick Mayer, "Introduction to Roman Philosophy" [B]

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND TO THE CLASSICAL WORLD

Michael S. Russo, "The Fabulous Fifth Century: Athens in the Age of Pericles" [B]
Michael S. Russo, "The Hellenistic Age:  From Alexander to Augustus" [B]
Michael S. Russo, "The Early Church: From Crisis to Triumph" [B]
Michael S. Russo, "The Early Church in an Age of Persecution" [B]

ARISTOTLE

Primary Sources

Aristotle, "On Substance" [Categories 1.5] [A]
Aristotle, "What is the Soul?"  [De Anima 2.1-3] [A] 
Aristotle, "Grades of the Soul" [Psychology 2.3] [I]
Aristotle, "First Principles of Knowledge"  [Metaphysics 1.1-3] [I]
Aristotle, "The Subject Matter of Metaphysics"  [Metaphysics 4] [A]
Aristotle, "Being and Substance"  [Metaphysics 7] [A]
Aristotle, "The Process of Change"  [Metaphysics 7] [I]
Aristotle, "The Unmoved Mover" [Metaphysics 12.1-6] [A]
Aristotle, "Physics - Book II"  [complete] [I]
Aristotle, "The Four Causes" [Physics 2.3] [A]
Aristotle, "The Education of Citizens"  [Politics 7-8] [B]
Aristotle, "On Demonstration in the Sciences"  [Posterior Analytics 1] [I] 
Aristotle, "A System of Knowledge"  [Posterior Analytics 1.1-3; 2.19] [I]
Aristotle, "Nicomachean Ethics 1-2"  [Problems of Philosophy] [I]
Aristotle, "The Nature of the Moral Act"  [Nicomachean Ethics 3.1-5] [I]
Aristotle, "Voluntary and Involuntary Acts"  [Nicomachean Ethics 3.5]  [I]
Aristotle, "On Courage"  [Nicomachean Ethics  3.6-7] [I]
Aristotle, "On Generosity"  [Nicomachean Ethics  4.1]  [I]
Aristotle, "On Pride"  [Nicomachean Ethics  4.3]  [I]
Aristotle, "On Good Temper"  [Nicomachean Ethics  4.5]  [I]
Aristotle, "On Justice"  [Nicomachean Ethics 5.1-7]
Aristotle, "On Friendship (selection)"  [Nicomachean Ethics 8]  [B]

Secondary Sources

John Marshall, "Aristotle"  [Short History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
Frederick Mayer, "Aristotle's Political Philosophy"  [Hist. of Anc. & Med. Phil] [B]
Michael S. Russo, "The Nicomachean Approach to Ethics: The Argument of Ethics 1-2" [B]
Michael S. Russo, "On the Much Neglected Virtue of Pride" [B]
Michael S. Russo, "Study Guide for Nicomachean Ethics 1-2" [B]

CHURCH FATHERS [EARLY CHRISTIAN THOUGHT]

Primary Sources

Clement of Alexandria, "Philosophy and Christian Faith"  [Stromata] [B]
Justin Martyr, "Philosophy and Christian Conversion"  [Dialogue with Trypho] [B]
Justin Martyr, "True Knowledge Not Held By Philosophers"  [Hortatory Address] [B]
Tertullian. "Athens and Jerusalem"  [B]
Tertullian, "On Flight During Persecution" [B]
Tertullian, "To The Martyrs" [B]
Tertullian, "On The Pythagorean Doctrine of Transmigration"  [On the Soul 28-31] [I]

Secondary Sources

Maurice de Wulf, "Patristic Philosophy"  [History of Medieval Philosophy] [I].
Albert Stockl, "Clement of Alexandria"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [B]
Albert Stockl, "Gnosticism"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [B]
Albert Stockl, "Manicheism"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [B]
Albert Stockl, "Origen"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [B]

MARCUS TULLIUS CICERO

Primary Sources

Cicero, "On Contempt for Death"  [Tusculan Disputations 1] [I]
Cicero, "On Friendship"  [selection] [B]
Cicero, "Old Age"  [Study Guide] [B]
Cicero, "On the Existence of the Gods"  [Nature of the Gods] [B]
Cicero, "On Fate"  [complete] [I]
Cicero, "On Epicurean Ethics"  [De Finibus 1] [I]
Cicero, "On Stoic Ethics"  [De Finibus 3] [I]
Cicero, "Mental Disorder as an Impediment to Pleasure'  [De Finibus]   [B]

Secondary Sources

H. Rackham, "Introduction to Cicero's De Finibus"  [On Final Ends] [B]

THE CYNICS

Primary Sources

Diogenes Laertius, "Antithenes the Cynic" [Lives 4.1-14] ​ [B]
Diogenes Laertius, "Diogenes of Sinope" [Lives 4.20-79] ​ [B]

Secondary Sources

Frederick Mayer, "The Megaric School and Cynicism" [B]

EPICUREANISM AND HEDONISM

Primary Sources

Epicurus, "Letter to Menoeceus"  [Lives of the Eminent Philosophers] [I]
Cicero, "On Epicurean Ethics"  [De Finibus 1] [I]
Diogenes Laetius, "Moral Teachings of Epicurus"  [Lives] [B]
Diogenes Laetius, "Epicurus and the Cyrenaics on Pleasure"  [Lives] [B]
Lucretius, "The Nature and Fate of the Soul"  [On the Nature of Things III] [I]

Secondary Sources

Cyril Bailey, "Introduction to Lucretius' On the Nature of Things" [B]
Nicholas Capelli, "Cyrenaic Hedonism" [B]
R.D. Hicks, "Epicurus and Hedonism"  [Stoic and Epicurean] [I]
R.D. Hicks, "Epicurean Atomic Theory"  [Stoic and Epicurean] [I]
John Marshall, "The Epicureans"  [Short History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
R.D. Hicks, "Epicurean Theology"  [Stoic and Epicurean] [I]
Frederick Mayer, "The Challenge of Epicureanism"  [Hist. of Anc. & Med. Phil] [B]
Michael S. Russo, "Study Guide for Epicurus' Letter to Menoeceus" [B]  |  video
Alfred Weber, "The Philosophy of Epicurus"  [History of Philosophy] [B]
Alfred Stockl, "The Cyrenaics"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [B]
Alfred Stockl, "Epicurean Philosophy"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [B]

PLATO

Primary Sources

Plato, "Apology"  [complete] [I]
Plato, "Apology"  [Problems of Philosophy] [B]
Plato, "Euthyphro"  [complete] [I]
Plato, "Crito"  [complete] [I]
Plato, "Theaetetus"  [complete] [A]
Plato, "Meno"  [complete] [I]
Plato, "Republic"  (selections) [Classics of Political Philosophy] [I]
Plato, "The Ring of Gyges"  [Republic 2] [I]
Plato, "The Education of the Guardians"  [Republic 2 & 4] [I]
Plato, "The Myth of the Cave"  [Republic 7] [A]
Plato, "Art as Imitation"  [Republic 10] [I]
Plato, "The Myth of Er"  [Republic 10] [I]
Plato, "Knowledge as Recollection"  [Meno] [I]
Plato, "Critique of Rhetoric"  [Gorgias​ 447a-461c] [I]
Plato, "The Sophists: Man as the Measure of All Things"  [Thaetetus] [I]
Plato, "Parts of the Soul"  [Phaedrus] [I]
Plato, "On Courage"  [Laches] [I]
Plato, "Phaedo"  [complete] [A]
Plato, "Phaedo"  [selections] [I]
Plato, "The Death of Socrates"  [Phaedo] [B]
Plato, "Symposium"  [complete] [A]
Plato, "The Ladder of Love  [Symposium 210a-212b]   [B]
Plato, "The Philosopher as Midwife"  [Theaetetus 148c-151d] [I]
Plato, "The Soul as the True Self"  [Alciabiades I] [I]
Plato, "Plato's Cosmology"  [Timaeus 27e-34b] [I]
Plato, "On Artistic Inspiration"  [Ion 532b-536b] [I]

Secondary Sources

LIFE & PHILOSOPHY [OVERVIEW]
Benjamin Jowett, "On the Ideas of Plato" [B]
John Marshall, "Plato"  [Short History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
Michael S. Russo, "Plato in a Nutshell" [B]
W.T. Stace, "Plato"  [A Critical History of Greek Philosophy]
Alfred Stockl, "The Philosophy of Plato"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [I]
APOLOGY
A.J. Grunthaler, "Reading Plato's Apology"  [B]    
R. Guardini, "Commentary on Plato's Apology"  [Death of Socr.] [B]
Benjamin Jowett, "Introduction to the Apology" [B]
Michael S. Russo, "Study Guide for Plato's Apology" [B]  |   video
CRITO
R. Guardini. "Commentary on Plato's Crito"  [Death of Socr.] [B]
Michael S. Russo, "Study Guide for Plato's Crito" [B]
EUTHYPHRYO
R. Guardini, "Commentary on Plato's Euthyphro"  [Death of Socr.] [B]   
Benjamin Jowett, "Introduction to Plato's Euthyphro" [B]
GORGIAS
A.J. Grunthaler, "Notes on Plato's Gorgias" [449c-466a]  [B]
REPUBLIC
Shane Drefcinski, "Why Socrates Rejects Glaucon's Version of the Social Contract" [I]
Benjamin Jowett, "Introduction to Plato's  Republic" [B]
S. Mayo and M. Russo, "Plato's Republic: The Argument of Thrasymachus"  [B]
PHAEDO
R. Guardini, "Commentary on Plato's Phaedo"  [Death of Socr.] [B]
A.J. Grunthaler, "Phaedo 62b1-2: The First Prohibition Against Suicide" [I]
SYMPOSIUM
Gardner Fair, "Plato's Symposium and Keirsey's Personality Sorter" [A]
Frederick Mayer, "Plato's Philosophy of Love: The Symposium" [B]

PLOTINUS & NEO-PLATONISM

Primary Sources

Plotinus, "Selections from the Enneads" [A]
Plotinus, "The Nature of the One"  [Enneads, selections]  [A]
Plotinus, "On Beauty" [Enneads 6] [A]
Plotinus, "On the Intellectual Beauty"  [Enneads 5] [A]

Secondary Sources

Frederick Mayer, "Neo-Platonism"  [Hist. of Anc. & Med. Phil.] [B]
Faris Razak, "Fundamentals of Neo-Platonism"  [B]
W.T. Stace, "The Neo-Platonists"  [A Critical History of Greek Philosophy]    [B]

PRESOCRATIC PHILOSOPHY

Primary Sources

Sources in Presocratic Philosophy  [Readings in Philosophy] [I]
Sources in Greek Atomism  [Readings in Philosophy] [I]

Secondary Sources

John Marshall, "Presocratics 1: The School of Miletus"  [Short Hist. of Greek Phil.] [B]
John Burnet, "Heraclitus and Parmenides" [Greek Philosophy] [B]
John Marshall, "Presocratics 2: The Pythagoreans"  [Short Hist. of Greek Phil.] [B]
John Marshall, "Presocratics 3: The Eleatics"  [Short Hist. of Greek Phil.] [B]
John Marshall, "Presocratics 4: The Atomists"  [Short Hist. of Greek Phil.] [B]
Robert Scoon, "Heraclitus"  [Greek Philosophy Before Plato] [I]
Robert Scoon, "Parmenides"  [Greek Philosophy Before Plato] [I]
W.T. Stace, "Introduction to Presocratic Philosophy"  [Critical History of Gr. Phil] [B]
Albert Stockl, "Early Ionic Philosophy" [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil.] [B]
Albert Weber, "Origins of Greek Philosophy"  [History of Philosophy] [B]

SKEPTICISM

Primary Sources

Sextus Empiricus, "Outlines of Pyrrhoism"  [selections, Book I] [I]

Secondary Sources

Edwyn Bevan, "The Sceptics"  [Stoics and Sceptics] [I]
Frederick Mayer, "The Philosophy of Skepticism"  [Hist. of Anc. & Med. Phil.] [B]
Michael S. Russo, "A Skeptical Approach to Happiness"  [B]
W.T. Stace, "The Sceptics"  [Critical History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
Albert Stockl, "Scepticism and Eclecticism"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil] [B]

SOCRATES

Primary Sources

Apology, Euthyphro, Crito  [see Plato section above]

Secondary Sources

John Marshall, "Socrates"  [Short History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
John Burnet, "The Trial and Death of Socrates"  [Greek Philosophy] [B]
Michael S. Russo, "An Introduction to Socratic Ethics" [B]
W.T. Stace, "Socrates"  [A Critical History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
Albert Stockl, "The Philosophy of Socrates"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Phil] [B]

THE SOPHISTS

Secondary Sources

John Burnet, "The Sophists"  [Greek Philosophy] [B]
William Benn, "The Sophists" [Early Greek Philosophy] [B]
John Marshall, "The Sophists"  [Short History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
Frederick Mayer, "The Sophists"  [Hist. of Anc. & Med. Phil] [B]
W.T. Stace, "The Sophists"  [Critical History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
Albert Stockl, "The Sophists"  [Handbook of the Hist. of Philosophy] [B]

THE STOICS

Primary Sources

Cicero, "On Stoic Ethics"  [De Finibus 3]  [I]
Diogenese Laertius, "Ethical Doctrines of the Stoics"  [Lives VII]  [I] 
Diogenese Laertius, "Physical Doctrines of the Stoics" [Lives VII] [I]
Epictetus, The Enchiridion  [complete] [B]
Marcus Aurelius, Meditations [Book IV] [B]
Seneca On Providence [edited] [B]
Seneca, On The Shortness of Life [complete] [B]
Seneca, On the Shortness of Life (selection)   [B]
Seneca, On Anger [complete] [I]
Seneca, "Epistles on Suffering, Old Age, and Death" [Moral Epistles] [B]
Seneca, "Epistles on Friendship"  [Moral Epistles] [B]
Seneca, "Epistles on the Moral Life" [Moral Epistles] [B]
Seneca, "Epistles on Virtue" [Moral Epistles] [B]
Seneca, "Epistles on Withdrawal from the World"  [Moral Epistles] [B]
Seneca. "Epistles on Stoic Simplicity" [Moral Epistles] [B]

Secondary Sources

John Marshall, "The Stoics"  [Short History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
Michael S. Russo, "Introduction to Stoic Ethics"  [B]
Michael S. Russo, "The Problem of the Passions in Seneca's On Anger [B]
F.H. Sandbach, "The Stoics and Political Philosophy"  [The Stoics] [B]
W.T. Stace, "The Stoics  [A Critical History of Greek Philosophy] [B]
George Stock, Guide to Stoicism  [complete] [B]
Albert Stockl, "The Stoics"  [Handbook of the Hist, of Phil.] [B]
Alfred Weber, "Stoic Philosophy"  [History of Philosophy] [B]
F.H. Sandbach, "Zeno: Founder of Stoicism"  [The Stoics] [B]

MISCELLANEOUS CLASSICAL TEXTS

Lucian of Samosata, "Zeus Cross-Examined"  [Works] [I]
Plutarch, "The Education of Children"  [Moralia] [B]
Pericles, "Funeral Oration"  [Peloponnesian War  2.4] [B]
Quintilian, "The Education of an Orator"  [Institutes of Oratory 1] [B]
Thucydides, "The Melian Dialogue"  [Peloponnesian War 5.84-116] [B]
Selections from The Greek Anthology     [B]
Classical Reflections on Death [B]
​The Complete Moral Epistles of Seneca

​Lucius Annaeus Seneca used his life experiences to develop a humanistic form of Stoic ethics that offers a pragmatic program of moral improvement for those seeking tranquility of spirit during difficult times. Nowhere is this philosophy better developed than in his Moral Epistles—a collection of 124 letters he wrote to a young friend that have provided inspiration to readers for almost two thousand years.

​ISBN: 9798500396393
A Critical History of Greek Philosophy

A reissuing of W.T. Stace's comprehensive history of Greek thought from Thales to the Neo-Platonist.  Accessible to the new-comer to the discipline of philosophy, this work also contains invaluable insights on all of the major thinkers of antiquity that makes it an essential resource for all those seeking greater understanding of this critical period in Western philosophy.

ISBN: 9781505854879
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Minds
 
Ancient Wisdom for Modern Minds is written specifically for newcomers to the field of philosophy.  Focusing on what is arguably the most important issue in philosophy—the problem of human happiness—the text examines the ideas of the most influential thinkers of the ancient world to discover what enduring wisdom they can impart about the nature and realization of happiness to modern readers like ourselves.

ISBN: 9781463561291
Study Guide to Plato’s Republic

Plato’s Republic is generally regarded as the most  important  and influential work in the history of philosophy.  It is also fairly difficult reading for those  lacking philosophical training and an understanding of classical Greek culture  and history.  The study guide seeks to  remedy this problem by providing introductory materials and commentary to aid  newcomers to Plato's classic philosophical work.

ISBN: 9781475283044
The Art of Persuasion: Classical Rhetoric for Modern Communicators
 
The Art of Persuasion offers students an accessible and pragmatic approach to the study of classical  rhetoric.  Designed for those with little  or no background in rhetorical theory, the text uses selections from some of  the greatest thinkers of antiquity to provide a comprehensive overview of the  subject matter of rhetoric for contemporary audiences.

ISBN: 9781468107074
A History of Ancient Philosophy

​Frederick Mayer's A History of Ancient Philosophy focuses on the development of philosophical thought in Greece and Rome during what is known as the classical period-that is from the dawn of civilization in Greece until the Fall of the Roman Empire in the West in 476 A.D. Using ample selections from primary sources, Mayer skillfully presents the major philosophical developments of this period as well as the dynamic interplay and tensions among the great philosophers of the ancient world.

​ISBN: 9781548608613
© SophiaOmni, 1999, updated December 2018.