Lysis by Plato (387)
The dialogue revolves around the nature of knowledge and reality. Socrates engages with a young nobleman, who claims to possess knowledge about beauty. Socrates challenges this claim through a series of questions, ultimately concluding that true knowledge cannot be acquired through sense experience or opinion. The discussion centers on the distinction between appearance and reality, with Socrates arguing that only the latter is truly knowable.
By Plato · First published 387 · Genre: Philosophical Dialogue, Socratic Dialogue, Ethics · 10,811 words
First lines
Persons of the dialogue: Socrates, who is the narrator Menexenus Hippothales Lysis Ctesippus
Scene: A newly-erected Palaestra outside the walls of Athens.
What this Textopian page supports
Lysis is listed on Textopian as an essay by Plato, dated 387 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Plato
- Date: 387 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Philosophical Dialogue, Socratic Dialogue, Ethics, Coming-of-Age, Rhetoric
- Length: 10,811 words
- Structure: 1 section, 393 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Lysis by Plato
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Lysis?
- How does this essay by Plato fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Philosophical Dialogue first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- Charmides by Plato
- Symposium by Plato
- Sophist by Plato
- Gorgias by Plato
- Laches by Plato
- Theaetetus by Plato
Genres
- Philosophical Dialogue — The work primarily explores themes of friendship, love, and the nature of relationships through a Socratic dialogue.
- Socratic Dialogue — The text employs the Socratic method, engaging characters in questioning to reveal deeper truths about friendship and knowledge.
- Ethics — The dialogue delves into ethical considerations of friendship, love, and the moral implications of relationships.
- Coming-of-Age — The characters are young men navigating their feelings and relationships, reflecting themes of youth and personal growth.
Tags
Philosophy · Socratic Method · Dialogue · Ethics · Knowledge · Reality · Appearance · Truth · Justice · Morality · Friendship · Love