Philebus
Translated by Benjamin Jowett
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The opening
PHILEBUS
SOCRATES: Observe, Protarchus, the nature of the position which you are now going to take from Philebus, and what the other position is which I maintain, and which, if you do not approve of it, is to be controverted by you. Shall you and I sum up the two sides?
PROTARCHUS: By all means.
SOCRATES: Philebus was saying that enjoyment and pleasure and delight, and the class of feelings akin to them, are a good to every living being, whereas I contend, that not these, but wisdom and intelligence and memory, and their kindred, right opinion and true reasoning, are better and more desirable than pleasure for all who are able to partake of them, and that to all such who are or ever will be they are the most advantageous of all things. Have I not given, Philebus, a fair statement of the two sides of the argument?
PHILEBUS: Nothing could be fairer, Socrates.
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About this edition
- The words
- Benjamin Jowett's English translation, copied word for word.
- Left out
- The source library's header, footer and license
- The title page and opening pages before chapter 1
- The printed table of contents (the app makes its own)
- A preface, foreword or afterword
- Notes about a stage production
- Notes and pages added by translators, editors or publishers