Table of Contents

List of Boxed Material:
Preface:
Introduction:
Chronological Sketch of Ancient Philosophy:
Timeline:
1. FATE AND FREEDOM
Homer, Iliad 16, 512-548
Lucian, Zeus Answers a Few Awkward Questions
A.: PRAISE, BLAME, AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR OUR ACTIONS
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics III, 5
The Stoics on Fate
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 22
The Stoics on Moral Responsibility
Cicero, On Fate 40-43
Aulus Gellius, Attic Nights 7.2, 6-13
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 11-14
Epicurus, On Nature 34, 26-30
Diogenes of Oenoanda, Epicurean Inscription fragment 54, II-III
Lucretius, On the Nature of Things 2, 251-293
B.: RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE LIVES WE LEAD
Plato, Republic 10 (the Myth of Er)
Alcinous, Handbook of Platonism 26
C.: DIVINE FOREKNOWLEDGE OF THE FUTURE
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 30-31
Boethius, The Consolation of Philosophy 5
D.: IS THE FUTURE FIXED?
Aristotle, On Interpretation
Diodorus Cronus, The Master Argument (Epictetus, Discourses 11.19, 1-5
The Stoics on Possibility and Necessity
Cicero, On Fate 12-15
Alexander of Aphrodisias, On Fate 10
2. REASON AND EMOTION
A.: EXPLANATION OF INNER CONFLICT
Plato, Republic 4, 436a-444a
Plato, Republic 9, 588b-590d
Plato, Phaedrus 253d-254e
B.: WHAT IS AN EMOTION?
Aristotle, Rhetoric II, part of 1,2,5,8
Aristotle, Niomachean Ethics II, 1, parts of 2 and 3; IV, 5
The Early Stoics on the Emotions
Seneca, On Anger I, 7-9, 12-14, 17-18; II, 1-4, 6-10, 28
C.: A TEST CASE
Euripides, Medea 1021-1080
Epictetus, Discourses I, 28,1-9; II, 17, 17-25
Galen, On the Doctrines of Hippocrates and Plato III, 3, 13-24
D.: REASON, THE EMOTIONS, AND FAITH
The Fourth Book of Maccabees selections
3. KNOWLEDGE, BELIEF, AND SKEPTICISM
A.: KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERTISE
Plato, Laches 189d-201c
B.: KNOWLEDGE AND TRUE BELIEF
Plato, Meno 80a-86d, 96b-99e
Plato, Theaetetus 200d-201c
C.: RELATIVISM
Plato, Theaetetus 166e-172b, 177c-179b
D.: THE STRUCTURE OF A SYSTEM OF KNOWLEDGE
Plato, Republic 475b-484a, 507b-511e, 514a-518d, 523a-525b, 531c-535a
Aristotle, Posterior Analytics I, 1-3; II, 19
Aristotle, Metaphysics I, 1-3; II, 1
Aristotle, Parts of Animals I, 5
E.: KNOWLEDGE FROM EXPERIENCE
Epicurus on Knowledge
The Stoics on Knowledge
F.: SKEPTICISM
Plato, Theaetetus 148c-151d
Sextus Empiricus, Outlines of Pyrrhonism I, 1-30, 100-117;III, 1-12
4. METAPHYSICAL QUESTIONS
A.: REALITY AND PARADOX
Parmenides, The Way of Truth fragments 1-8
Zeno of Elea, Arguments against Motion
B.: PLATO'S FORMS: FOR AND AGAINST
Plato, Phaedo 73c-76e
Plato, Phaedo 78c-79a
Plato, Symposium 209e-212a
Plato, Republic 596a-597e
Plato, Parmenides 128e-135c
Diogenes of Sinope, Lives of the Philosophers VI, 53
The Stoics on Plato's Forms
Aristotle, On Forms
C.: CAUSE AND EXPLANATION
Hippocratic Writings, The Sacred Disease selections
Plato, Phaedo 96a-101e
Aristotle, On Coming-to-Be and Passing-Away II, 9
Aristotle, Physics II, 3, 7-9
Plutarch, Life of Pericles 6
The Epicureans against Teleology
D.: TIME
Aristotle, Physics IV, 10-11, 14
The Stoics on Time
Augustine, Confessions XI, selections
5. HOW SHOULD YOU LIVE?
A.: THE STARTING POINT FOR ETHICAL REFLECTION
Aristotle, Rhetoric I, 5 (extract)
Herodotus, Histories I, 29-34
B.: THE FIRST THEORIES: VIRTUE AND HAPPINESS
Democritus, Fragments on Ethics
Plato, Gorgias, 468e-479e
C.: THE MAJOR THEORIES
Aristotle, Nicomachean Ethics I, 1,2,4,5,7-10
The Stoics
Cicero, On Final Ends III, 16-17, 20-26, 32-39, 42-71
The Epicureans
Epicurus, Letter to Menoeceus 121-135
Cicero, On Final Ends I, 29-33, 37-70
D.: DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS
Plato, Theaetetus, 172b-177c
The Gospel of Matthew 5, 2-20
Plotinus, Enneads I, 4
6. SOCIETY AND THE STATE
A.: IS NATURE OR CONVENTION THE BASIS OF SOCIETY AND THE STATE?
Plato, Protagoras 320c-323c
Antiphon the Sophist, Fragment 7
Plato, Gorgias 482e-484c
Plato, Crito 50a-54e
Plato, Repubic 358c-360d
Aristotle, Politics I, 2
Aristotle, Politics III, 9
Epicureans
Epicurus, Principal Doctrines 31-38
Diogenes of Oenoanda, Epicurean Inscription fragment 56
Cicero, On Duties III, 37-39
Stoicism
Cicero, On Laws I, 17-35, 42-45
B.: POLITICAL RULE: EXPERTISE AND THE RULE OF LAW
Twofold Arguments 7
Plato0 Republic 488a-489c
Plato, Statesman 291d-303b
Aristotle, Politics I, 1; III, 4,11
C.: DEMOCRACY AND THE BEST FORM OF GOVERNMENT
Herodotus, Histories III, 80-83
The Old Oligarch
Aristotle, Politics IV, 3,4,7-9.11
Polybius, Histories, VI, 2
Further Reading

About the Author

Julia Annas is Regents Professor of Philosophy at the University of Arizona.

Reviews

"A provocative selection of readings. I am highly impressed. And at a price affordable to the student!"--Wendy C. Hamblet, California State University, Stanislaus
"It is a pleasure to see an introductory reader on ancient philosophy organized around key philosophical problems. An excellent selection of topics and readings."--David Bowen, University of North Florida