These new translations present Plato`s remarkable dramatization of the momentous events surrounding the trial of Socrates in 399 BC, on charges of irreligion and corrupting the young. The Euthyphro, Defence of Socrates , and Crito form a dramatic and thematic sequence, raising fundamental questions about the basis of moral, religious, legal, and political obligation. Plato explores these issues with a freshness and directness that have never been surpassed.

In the Defence of Socrates , Plato seeks not only to clear his master`s name, but also to defend the whole Socratic way of life, and therefore philosophy itself. The result is an oratorical masterpiece. The Euthyphro , an inquiry into the nature of piety, probes the relationship between religion and morality. The Crito discusses the citizen`s obligation to the state, in the context of a life-or-death issue confronting Socrates himself - whether or not to escape from prison.

David Gallop`s Introduction provides a stimulating philosophical and historical analysis of these texts, complemented by useful explanatory notes and an index of names, to make this edition invaluable to readers new to these timeless classics.