author
Thomas Taylor
1758–1835
Best known as "the Platonist," this English scholar opened up Plato, Aristotle, and later Greek thinkers to English readers through an extraordinary run of translations. His work helped keep ancient philosophy alive for generations of readers who might never have reached the original Greek.
1 Audiobook
Introduction to the Philosophy and Writings of Plato
by Thomas Taylor
About the author
Born in 1758 and dying in 1835, Thomas Taylor was an English translator and Neoplatonist philosopher remembered above all for his devotion to ancient Greek thought. He became the first person to translate the complete works of Plato and Aristotle into English, and he also translated important Neoplatonic and Orphic texts.
Taylor was not simply a translator in the mechanical sense. He approached these works as a committed Platonist who believed their spiritual and philosophical vision still mattered in the modern world. That conviction gave his writing a distinctive voice and helped earn him the lasting nickname "the Platonist."
Although his style belongs very much to his own era, his influence has lasted well beyond it. For readers interested in Plato, Aristotle, pagan theology, and the revival of classical philosophy in English, Taylor remains a fascinating and important guide.