Books by Plato

Level C1 · pages · English

Apology

Written by Plato

"Apology" by Plato is a Socratic dialogue written after 399 BC. It presents Socrates's legal defense at his trial, where he faced charges of corrupting Athens's youth and introducing new gods. Standing before a jury of perhaps 500 Athenian men, Socrates refuses to use sophisticated rhetoric, speaking instead in his characteristic questioning style. Rather than compromise his integrity to avoid death, he challenges his accusers and maintains his philosophical principles, insisting his only wisdom comes from knowing that he knows nothing.

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Categories: Classics Philosophy & Ethics

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Suggested age: 14+ (AI estimate)

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Charmides

Written by Plato

"Charmides" by Plato is a philosophical dialogue written in ancient Greece. Socrates returns from battle and encounters the handsome young Charmides at a wrestling school, initiating a provocative inquiry into the nature of sophrosyne—temperance or self-control. Through exchanges with Charmides and his mentor Critias, Socrates dismantles each proposed definition, from quietness to self-knowledge. The dialogue explores profound questions about virtue and wisdom while never reaching a final answer, leaving readers to grapple with these timeless philosophical challenges themselves.

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Categories: Classics Philosophy & Ethics

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Cratylus

Written by Plato

"Cratylus" by Plato is a dialogue written during Plato's middle period. Two men ask Socrates whether names are conventional or natural—whether language consists of arbitrary signs or words have intrinsic connections to what they signify. Through extensive etymological exploration, Socrates examines the origins of divine names and abstract concepts, testing theories about how language captures reality. The dialogue probes fundamental questions about meaning, communication, and whether studying words can lead to philosophical truth about the nature of things themselves.

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Level C2 · pages · English

Critias

Written by Plato

"Critias" by Plato is a dialogue written in ancient Greece that recounts the legendary story of Atlantis, a mighty island kingdom that attempted to conquer Athens. Through the character Critias, Plato describes how the gods divided the ancient Earth and how early Athens embodied an ideal civilization of virtue and moderation. The dialogue contrasts a good city with one corrupted by ambition, exploring themes of divine justice and societal decline. Part of an unfinished trilogy, the work ends abruptly, leaving Atlantis's fate tantalizingly incomplete.

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Categories: Classics Mythology, Legends & Folklore Philosophy & Ethics

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Suggested age: 16+ (AI estimate)

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Crito

Written by Plato

"Crito" by Plato is a dialogue written around 399 BC. It depicts a conversation between Socrates and his friend Crito as Socrates awaits execution in prison. Crito urges Socrates to escape, offering money and refuge, but Socrates refuses. Through their debate about justice and injustice, Socrates personifies the Laws of Athens to argue that wrongdoing cannot be answered with wrongdoing. The dialogue presents an early statement of social contract theory.

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Euthydemus

Written by Plato

"Euthydemus" by Plato is a dialogue written around 384 BC. In this satirical work, Socrates recounts to his friend Crito a meeting with two Sophist brothers who claim philosophical superiority. Through a series of increasingly absurd logical tricks and fallacies, the brothers attempt to trap Socrates in verbal puzzles designed to be impossible to refute. Plato contrasts genuine Socratic education with what he presents as the deceptive methods of Sophist argumentation, exposing the emptiness behind their intellectual showmanship.

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Euthyphro

Written by Plato

"Euthyphro" by Plato is a philosophical dialogue written around 399 BC. Set outside an Athenian court, it follows Socrates as he awaits trial for impiety. He encounters Euthyphro, a confident prophet prosecuting his own father for murder. Socrates asks Euthyphro to define piety, sparking a rigorous examination that produces increasingly refined definitions—yet none prove satisfactory. Their discussion culminates in a famous dilemma about the gods' relationship to goodness, launching a debate that continues millennia later.

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Ion

Written by Plato

"Ion" by Plato is a dialogue written in ancient Greece. In this short work, Socrates questions Ion, a professional rhapsode who performs and lectures on Homer's poetry. Their conversation explores a provocative question: does Ion's skill come from genuine knowledge and artistic technique, or from divine possession? Through pointed questioning, Socrates challenges Ion's claims of expertise, suggesting that poets and their performers may be inspired vessels of the gods rather than masters of craft—a conclusion the rhapsode resists accepting.

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Laches

Written by Plato

"Laches" by Plato is a Socratic dialogue written in ancient Greece. Two concerned fathers seek advice about their sons' education, sparking a philosophical investigation into the nature of courage. Socrates guides prominent Athenian generals Laches and Nicias through a rigorous examination of competing definitions—from steadfast endurance to specialized knowledge. Each proposed answer unravels under scrutiny, revealing contradictions and gaps in understanding. The dialogue demonstrates Socratic inquiry at work, questioning whether true virtue can be taught and what courage actually means beyond conventional assumptions.

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Level C2 · pages · English

Laws

Written by Plato

"Laws" by Plato is a dialogue written in ancient Greece as Plato's final work. Three elderly men journey to Zeus's cave, debating who deserves credit for establishing laws. When one traveler reveals he must create laws for a new colony, they spend their journey designing an entire legal system for the imagined city of Magnesia. Through twelve books, they explore divine law, education, criminal justice, and the nature of soul, creating a vision distinct from Plato's earlier Republic.

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Categories: Classics Philosophy & Ethics

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Lesser Hippias

Written by Plato

Lesser Hippias is a dialogue attributed to Plato and translated by Benjamin Jowett, in which Socrates debates the sophist Hippias about Homer's heroes Achilles and Odysseus and the nature of lying. Socrates challenges conventional morality by suggesting that deliberate wrongdoing may be superior to unintentional error.

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Menexenus

Written by Plato

"Menexenus" by Plato is a Socratic dialogue traditionally included in the seventh tetralogy. The work consists mainly of a funeral oration that Socrates claims to have learned from Aspasia, a prominent female Athenian philosopher. The speech praises Athens and recounts its military victories while parodying the style of traditional funeral oratory. Unique among Platonic dialogues, the actual conversation serves primarily as exposition for the lengthy oration itself.

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Categories: Classics History - Ancient Philosophy & Ethics Plays/Films/Dramas

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Suggested age, readers, English difficulty and US school grade are separate labels. Age groups are guidance based on source information or editorial review; unreviewed books are “Not assessed”. A US grade is assigned only with source information or a documented assessment; otherwise it is “Not assessed”. Levels use A1–C2 to indicate reading difficulty. StoryWeaver levels 1/2/3/4 use our approximate A1/A2/B1/B2 guide, labelled “estimated”; this is not an official equivalence. A book-specific assessment takes priority. Other unassessed books are labelled “Not assessed”. Source StoryWeaver levels are retained separately. Classics retain their original English.