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cryo_guy's review against another edition
4.0
I've been reading this edition on my phone because I was so upset after reading Zeyl's Timaeus that I had to read someone else talk about it. Zeyl's translation isn't bad or anything but his commentary is just plain awful (if you'd like to hear more, check that review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2626949738). Gregory's commentary was much more sensible while still covering the same general history of scholarship about the Timaeus.
I don't have a whole lot to add on the Timaeus, except to steer you away from Zeyl as much as possible. While I was on this edition though, I read the Critias real quick and it's a neat little piece but very limited. It's shares a close kinship with the Timaeus, being nearly a monologue. I don't have much insight into the content other than that-the basics of the dialogue are right there-it's some sort of political allegory for contemporary Athens and Sparta, cleverly using ancient Athens and Atlantis. The super neat thing about it is the historical context that we don't have any other sources for this myth, which means Plato made it up or stole it from someone that nobody afterwards found out about, or maybe he based it on the eruption of Thera and the Minoans but that's pretty dubious too. Contemplating Plato's role as an author of "fiction" is interesting (But I should state, I'm with Gregory on this, that the modern notion of fiction is very different than what Plato was doing).
Anyway, I feel better about the Timaeus now and am happy to cross the Critias off my list. Too bad we didn't get the Hermocrates. Cheers.
N.B. I didn't read Waterfield's Timaeus.
I don't have a whole lot to add on the Timaeus, except to steer you away from Zeyl as much as possible. While I was on this edition though, I read the Critias real quick and it's a neat little piece but very limited. It's shares a close kinship with the Timaeus, being nearly a monologue. I don't have much insight into the content other than that-the basics of the dialogue are right there-it's some sort of political allegory for contemporary Athens and Sparta, cleverly using ancient Athens and Atlantis. The super neat thing about it is the historical context that we don't have any other sources for this myth, which means Plato made it up or stole it from someone that nobody afterwards found out about, or maybe he based it on the eruption of Thera and the Minoans but that's pretty dubious too. Contemplating Plato's role as an author of "fiction" is interesting (But I should state, I'm with Gregory on this, that the modern notion of fiction is very different than what Plato was doing).
Anyway, I feel better about the Timaeus now and am happy to cross the Critias off my list. Too bad we didn't get the Hermocrates. Cheers.
N.B. I didn't read Waterfield's Timaeus.
hesterzz's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
4.0
One of the most interesting and weird platonic works
c2pizza's review against another edition
1.0
This is everything that philosophy should aspire to not be. Presumptuous, anti-empirical, superstitious, and - I highly suspect - intended as a foundational noble lie or creation myth upon which Plato's perfect authoritarian republic could be built. If you are interested in what Deepak Chopra's nonsense would've sounded like 2,500 years ago, then this is the best book to read.
sinogaze's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting theories of soul/morality/divinity. Interesting to think about the way that the human soul is partitioned into divine/not divine. I think Plato seems very optimistic in Timaeus because he believes in this designed universe and a reasoning behind everything-- He also believes that the creator is good. Very Christian-- almost like the creator of the universe is God and all the Greek pantheon are his angels.
Also, I like that the world is alive in a sense, and that we are part of its organism. I like that the world has no feet because it doesn't need to move like that. Really makes you think.
Also, I like that the world is alive in a sense, and that we are part of its organism. I like that the world has no feet because it doesn't need to move like that. Really makes you think.
kricitt's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.75
Waterfield is by far my favorite translator of Plato. Easy to read, great explanatory notes; definitely recommended.
tdwightdavis's review against another edition
4.0
A little boring at times, but a good, quick read. We get a lot of Plato's philosophy of God/the gods here, which is really interesting. Also a lot of stuff about Atlantis, which is cool too. A lot to chew on here for a theologian.