Plato’s Trial and Death of Socrates Heritage Press 1963

📖 Plato’s Trial and Death of Socrates by Plato (1963, The Heritage Press) — A Heritage Press edition of Plato’s four essential Socratic dialogues: Euthyphro, Apology, Crito, and Phaedo. This copy is in Very Good condition with the original red slipcase, offering a classic reading edition of Western philosophy’s foundational text.

QUICK FACTS

• Author: Plato (c. 428–348 BCE)
• Translator: Benjamin Jowett (1817–1893)
• Illustrator: Hans Erni (1909–2015), Swiss painter and graphic artist
• Preface: Huntington Cairns
• Publisher: The Heritage Press (The George Macy Companies), New York
• Year: 1963 (trade edition reprint)
• Format: Hardcover in red paper-covered slipcase
• Pages: 331 | ISBN: None (pre-ISBN era)
• Condition: Very Good — full report below

THE STORY

The Trial and Death of Socrates collects the four dialogues that record the final days of one of history’s most influential philosophers. In the Euthyphro, Socrates debates piety while awaiting trial. The Apology presents his defense speech before the Athenian jury — including the famous declaration that “the unexamined life is not worth living.” The Crito depicts Socrates refusing the chance to escape, arguing that a citizen must obey the laws of his city. The Phaedo recounts his final hours, a moving meditation on the immortality of the soul as he prepares to drink the hemlock. Together, these texts form the cornerstone of Western ethical and political thought.

THIS EDITION

This Heritage Press edition — published by The George Macy Companies in 1963 — presents the classic Benjamin Jowett translation, long considered the standard English rendering of Plato’s works. Jowett’s Victorian prose brings clarity and dignity to the dialogues, while Huntington Cairns’s preface provides essential historical context. The edition includes the modern classic illustrations of Swiss artist Hans Erni (1909–2015), whose distinctive figurative style — influenced by Picasso and classical Greek art — brings an elegant mid-century sensibility to these ancient texts. Heritage Press editions were produced on quality paper with sewn bindings, intended as affordable fine editions for the discerning reader.

COVER ART / ILLUSTRATIONS / DESIGN

The binding features deep blue cloth boards with a black spine title block and gilt lettering reading “PLATO” above a gilt profile illustration of a bearded classical figure, with the title in two lines below. The red paper-covered slipcase provides sturdy protection with clean, unbroken seams. Hans Erni’s interior illustrations are a highlight of this edition: a full-page illustration in deep forest green depicts a frieze of stylized classical Greek figures with flowing drapery and strong contours; another in reddish-brown presents a procession of stylized human profiles reminiscent of ancient Greek pottery. The title page lettering appears in a warm reddish-brown tone, and the text is printed in a readable serif type on cream-colored paper stock typical of Heritage Press quality.

WHY IT MATTERS

• Foundational text of Western philosophy — required reading in universities for over a century in Jowett’s standard translation
• Heritage Press editions are prized by collectors for their quality materials, sewn bindings, and commissioned art from notable illustrators
• Hans Erni was one of Switzerland’s most celebrated 20th-century artists, with works in major museum collections worldwide; his Heritage Press illustrations are sought after by art book collectors
• Mid-century fine press edition of a philosophical masterwork in a protected slipcase — ideal for the philosophy reader, the Heritage Press collector, or the student of classical thought

FREQUENTLY ASKED

What edition is this? This is the 1963 Heritage Press edition, a trade reprint of the Limited Editions Club plates. The special contents are copyright 1963 by The George Macy Companies, Inc., New York. Translated by Benjamin Jowett with a preface by Huntington Cairns.

What condition is it in? Book is Very Good: blue cloth boards clean with slight spine sunning; binding square and tight; interior pages have a previous owner’s ink signature and moderate red and blue ballpoint underlining and marginal brackets on several pages — full report below.

Is the slipcase included? Yes. The original red paper-covered slipcase is included in Very Good condition with minor shelf-wear and light rubbing to edges but no splits in the seams.

FOR COLLECTORS

Heritage Press editions of Plato by The George Macy Companies represent a high point of mid-century American fine publishing. This 1963 edition with Hans Erni’s distinctive illustrations offers the Jowett translation — the standard Victorian rendering — at an accessible price point for the philosophy library. The annotated interior (student markings throughout) makes this an honest reading copy of a beautiful edition, ideal for the reader who wants Heritage Press quality without the premium of a pristine copy.

Condition Report

Overall Grade: Very Good (Book) / Very Good (Slipcase)

Cover & Spine: Blue cloth boards with a black title block and gilt lettering on the spine. The spine is ever so slightly sunned, with gilt design remaining clear.

Dust Jacket: None (issued in a slipcase). The red paper-covered slipcase shows minor shelf-wear and light rubbing to the edges but remains structurally sound, no splits in the seams.

Text Block & Pages: The paper is off-white/cream, displaying minimal toning at the margins. There is a previous owner’s ink signature on the front free endpaper. Heavy red and blue ballpoint ink underlining and marginal bracket markings are present on multiple pages of the text.

Binding: The binding is square and tight.

See accompanying images for full condition details. Will ship promptly, carefully packaged.

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