Cover of Phaedrus

Phaedrus

by Plato

First published
369 BC
Reading level
Fairly demanding
Price
Free

About the book

"Phaedrus" by Plato is a dialogue written around 370 BC. Socrates encounters the young Phaedrus outside Athens, who has just heard a speech about love. What begins as a countryside stroll becomes an intricate philosophical exploration of love, rhetoric, and the human soul. Through three competing speeches, Socrates and Phaedrus debate whether it's better to favor a lover or a non-lover, ultimately revealing deeper questions about divine madness, the soul's nature, and the proper practice of persuasive speech.

  • Classical literature
  • Socrates, 470 BC-399 BC
  • Rhetoric
  • Love
  • Rhetoric, Ancient
  • Soul

Updated September 2026. Public domain in the USA. Text and summary from Project Gutenberg eBook #1636. Phaedrus on Wikipedia.

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