''On Virtue'' ( grc-gre, Περὶ Ἀρετῆς; la, De Virtute) is a

Socratic dialogue Socratic dialogue ( grc, Σωκρατικὸς λόγος) is a genre of literary prose developed in Greece at the turn of the fourth century BC. The earliest ones are preserved in the works of Plato and Xenophon and all involve Socrates as the p ...

attributed to

Plato Plato ( ; grc-gre, Πλάτων ; 428/427 or 424/423 – 348/347 BC) was a Greek philosopher born in Athens during the Classical period in Ancient Greece. He founded the Platonist school of thought and the Academy, the first institution ...

, but which is considered spurious. In the short dialogue,

Socrates Socrates (; ; –399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. An enigmatic figure, Socrates authored no te ...

discusses with a friend questions about whether virtue can be taught.John Madison Cooper, D. S. Hutchinson, (1997), ''Plato, Complete works'', page 1694. Hackett Publishing. To answer this question, the author of the dialogue does little more than copy out a few passages from the ''

Meno ''Meno'' (; grc-gre, Μένων, ''Ménōn'') is a Socratic dialogue by Plato. Meno begins the dialogue by asking Socrates whether virtue is taught, acquired by practice, or comes by nature. In order to determine whether virtue is teachable ...

'' almost word for word. W. K. C. Guthrie, (1986), ''A history of Greek philosophy: The later Plato and the Academy'', page 398. Cambridge University Press

References

External links

''On Virtue''
translated by George Burges
Free public domain audiobook version of ''On Virtue''
translated by George Burges * . Collection includes On Virtue.

George Burges George Burges (; 1786 – 11 January 1864) was an English classical scholar who published translations of the works of Euripides, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Plato. Biography Burges was born in Bengal, India, and was probably the son of Thomas B ...

, translator (1855). Dialogues of Plato Virtue {{ethics-book-stub