Source edition
Platonis Opera, Tomus V: Tetralogia VIII. Burnet, John, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1914.
Source data
Open Greek and Latin · CC BY-SA 4.0
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
The "Definitions" is a work that systematically lists concise, short-sentence definitions for a wide range of key concepts in ancient Greek philosophy. Unlike standard Platonic dialogues, this work consists of a collection of terms, beginning with cosmological concepts such as eternity, God, and the basic elements of nature, and moving on to classical virtues like prudence, justice, and courage. As the list progresses, it defines various concepts related to ethics, epistemology, and language, including wit, friendship, law, knowledge, philosophy, and perception. It further covers the logical and linguistic foundations of speech and syllables, political constitutions, the passions of the soul, and education. Rather than developing a specific argument or narrative, the work serves as a reference or pedagogical tool, offering an overview of how fundamental terms were defined within the Platonic tradition.