Throughout the Discourses, Epictetus referred in reverential tones to Socrates. Socrates dedicated his entire life in helping everyone he met to lead a more virtuous life. Socrates lived what he preached up until his last breath. The PHAEDRUS has the title 'ON THE BEAUTIFUL, ETHICAL'.

The PHAEDRUS is pre-eminent among the dialogues of Plato for the variety of its contents and style, the richness of its imaginative description, and the sportive humor of its conversation. The chief theme of the dialogue is rhetoric, the art of speaking, a subject which formed an important part of the oral and written instructions of the sophists. Plato assumes that the result aimed at by rhetoric is persuasiveness, the ability to lead the mind of the hearers to a particular belief or action. The sophists claimed that knowledge of the truth concerning the subject under discussion is not essential; all that is necessary is ability to make one's conclusions seem probable. Plato shows that only the man who knows the truth can know what will seem probable. He must also know the minds or souls to be persuaded. This he cannot do without a knowledge of the nature of the soul.

The rationalistic explanation of myths is briefly discussed and rejected, the higher and lower forms of love are analyzed, the nature of the soul is described in the beautiful figure of the charioteer and his two horses. Toward the end of the PHAEDRUS, Plato inserts a remarkable discussion of the relative value of the spoken and written word. It is somewhat startling to find so voluminous a writer maintaining that the written word is only a plaything, or at best, a reminder. This must be what Plato truly believed, however.

PHAEDRUS is one part of the Loeb Classical Library book named PLATO I EUTHYPHRO, APOLOGY, CRITO, PHAEDO, PHAEDRUS. It is available for around $20. The book was originally published in 1914 and was translated by the eminent scholar, Harold North Fowler. A wealthy American named James Loeb began in the early 1900's to commission the leading scholars of ancient Greek and Roman manuscripts to translate into English the classic writings. He had the brilliance to format the clothbound books with the original Greek and Latin writings on the left page with the translated English on the right page. With generous footnotes throughout you get the essence of the original writings. The Greek Classics are all hard bound in green with the Latin works in red. Mr. Loeb donated the Loeb Classical Library to Harvard College which has kept the books in print and has added to the collection.

The books are constructed using traditional high quality workmanship with only the finest acid-free paper and binding materials used. They easily fit in your jacket pocket or purse and will stand up to your repeated readings. By having the original Greek or Latin manuscripts always in front of you, it brings out a natural inquisitiveness and makes you wonder if you have the wherewithal to learn to read them in their original form.