In addition to works by Plato and Xenophon, we know of dozens of
treatises and dialogues written by followers of Socrates that are
now lost. The surviving evidence for these writings constitutes an
invaluable resource for our understanding of Socrates and his
philosophical legacy. The Circle of Socrates presents
new--sometimes the first--English translations of a representative
selection of this evidence, set alongside extracts from Plato and
Xenophon. The texts are arranged according to theme, with concise
introductions that provide an overview of the topics and the main
lines of thought within them. The aim is to give a fuller account
of the philosophical activity of Socrates' immediate followers:
both to shed light on less well known figures (some of whom
inspired schools and movements that were influential in the
development of later thought), and also to improve our grasp of the
intellectual context within which Plato and Xenophon, the most
important of the Socratics, lived and wrote. Included are a general
introduction to the history, content, and character of these
writings; a bibliography; an index of sources; and an index of the
Socratics and their works.