Brillâs Companion to the Reception of Plato in Antiquity offers a comprehensive account of the ways in which ancient readers responded to Plato, as philosopher, as author, and more generally as a central figure in the intellectual heritage of Classical Greece, from his death in the fourth century BCE until the Platonist and Aristotelian commentators in the sixth century CE. The volume is divided into three sections: âEarly Developments in Receptionâ (four chapters); âEarly Imperial Receptionâ (nine chapters); and âEarly Christianity and Late Antique Platonismâ (eighteen chapters). Sectional introductions cover matters of importance that could not easily be covered in dedicated chapters. The book demonstrates the great variety of approaches to and interpretations of Plato among even his most dedicated ancient readers, offering some salutary lessons for his modern readers too.
Harold Tarrant, Ph.D. (1972), Durham University, is Professor Emeritus at the University of Newcastle Australia. He has published, as author, editor or translator, numerous articles and fourteen books relating to ancient Platonism, including Proclus: Commentary on Platoâs Timaeus, vols. I and VI (Cambridge).
Danielle A. Layne, Ph.D (2009), Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, is Associate Professor of Philosophy at Gonzaga University, Spokane WA. She is the author of numerous articles on Plato and Neoplatonism and was the co-editor with Harold Tarrant of The Neoplatonic Socrates (Penn Press).
Dirk Baltzly, Ph.D. (1994), Ohio State University, is Professor and Head of Philosophy & Gender Studies at the University of Tasmania. He has published extensively on ancient Platonism, including Proclus: Commentary on Platoâs Timaeus, vols. III-V. His current projects include Proclusâ Republic Commentary and the Phaedrus Commentary of Hermias.
Contributors are: Crystal Addey, Sara Ahbel-Rappe, Francesca Alesse, Polymnia Athanassiadi, Dirk Baltzly, Mauro Bonazzi, Michael Chase, Dennis Clark, John Finamore, Ryan C. Fowler, Gary Gabor, Lloyd Gerson, Michael Griffin, Christina Hoenig, Phillip Sidney Horky, Danielle A. Layne, Carl S. OâBrien, Dominic J. OâMeara, Jan Opsomer, Federico M. Petrucci, Ilaria Ramelli, François Renaud, Julius Rocca, Geert Roskam, Charles Snyder, Harold Tarrant, John D. Turner, Gerd Van Riel, Sarah Klitenic Wear, Sami Yli-Karjanmaa.
Acknowledgements Abbreviations Notes on Contributors Introduction Part I. Early Developments in Reception Introduction: The Old Academy to Cicero 1 Speusippus and Xenocrates on the Pursuit and Ends of Philosophy Phillip Sidney Horky 2 The Influence of the Platonic Dialogues on Stoic Ethics from Zeno to Panaetius of Rhodes Francesca Alesse 3 Plato and the Freedom of the New Academy Charles E. Snyder 4 Return to Plato and Transition to Middle Platonism in Cicero François Renaud Part II. Early Imperial Reception of Plato Introduction: Early Imperial Reception of Plato 5 From Fringe Reading to Core Curriculum: Commentary, Introduction and Doctrinal Summary Harold Tarrant 6 Philo of Alexandria Sami Yli-Karjanmaa 7 Plutarch of Chaeronea and the Anonymous Commentator on the Theaetetus Mauro Bonazzi 8 Theon of Smyrna: Re-thinking Platonic Mathematics in Middle Platonism Federico M. Petrucci 9 Cupid's Swan from the Academy (De Plat. 1.1, 183): Apuleius' Reception of Plato Geert Roskam 10 Alcinous' Reception of Plato Carl S. O'Brien 11 Numenius: Portrait of a Platonicus Polymnia Athanassiadi 12 Galen and Middle Platonism: The Case of the Demiurge Julius Rocca 13 Variations of Receptions of Plato during the Second Sophistic Ryan C. Fowler Part III. Early Christianity and Late Antique Platonism Introduction: Early Christianity and Late Antique Platonism 14 Origen to Evagrius Ilaria Ramelli 15 Sethian Gnostic Appropriations of Plato John D. Turner 16 Plotinus and Platonism Lloyd P. Gerson 17 Porphyry Michael Chase 18 The Anonymous Commentary on the Parmenides Dennis Clark 19 Iamblichus, the Commentary Tradition, and the Soul John Finamore 20 Amelius and Theodore of Asine Dirk Baltzly 21 Plato's Political Dialogues in the Writings of Julian the Emperor Dominic J. O'Meara 22 Plato's Women Readers Crystal Addey 23 Calcidius Christina Hoenig 24 Augustine's Plato Gerd Van Riel 25 Orthodoxy and Allegory: Syrianus' Metaphysical Hermeneutics Sarah Klitenic Wear 26 Hermias: On Plato's Phaedrus Harold Tarrant and Dirk Baltzly 27 Proclus and the Authority of Plato Jan Opsomer 28 Damascius the Platonic Successor: Socratic Activity and Philosophy in the 6th Century CE Sara Ahbel-Rappe 29 The Anonymous Prolegomena to Platonic Philosophy Danielle A. Layne 30 Olympiodorus of Alexandria Michael Griffin 31 Simplicius of Cilicia: Plato's Last Interpreter Gary Gabor Conclusion Bibliography General Index Index Locorum