How to Speak Freely by Plato

How to Speak Freely by Plato

A vivid and timely new translation of Plato’s Apology, in which Socrates defends his pursuit of truth, no matter the consequences

Free speech is back at the center of political and cultural debate, amid intense arguments over censorship on campus, in government, and in everyday life. How to Speak Freely offers a timeless and essential exploration of free speech through a lively new translation of Plato’s Apology, perhaps the most famous and important work on the subject in all of Western history. In it, Plato recounts the trial of Socrates in 399 BCE—one of the most powerful defenses of freedom of thought and speech ever written.

In Plato’s Apology, Socrates embodies the archetype of a person who thinks independently: a figure of conviction who pursued curiosity honestly, became convinced of unpopular truths, spoke candidly about them, and refused to grovel, pander, or recant—even to save his life. By insisting on his freedom and accepting the consequences, Socrates became the most famous martyr to free inquiry in history—and raised enduring questions about the value, dangers, and limits of free speech in a democracy.

How to Speak Freely supplements Plato’s Apology with a delightful fable on free speech told from a different angle. In the short dialogue The Gods in Council, Lucian (c. 125–180 CE) satirizes the concept of “platforming,” showing how free speech ideals are truly tested only when they’re truly applied.

Featuring an enlightening introduction and the original Greek on facing pages, How to Speak Freely is a powerful and thought-provoking examination of the rewards and risks of speaking one’s mind.

Plato (427–347 BCE) is the Greek philosopher par excellence: the disciple of Socrates, teacher of Aristotle, and intellectual ancestor of the West. His dialogues, which take the form of dramatic conversations between actual historical figures, explore justice, ethics, politics, and metaphysics, and they champion reason over authority or revelation. Michael Fontaine is professor of classics and director of the Program on Freedom and Free Societies at Cornell University. His books include five other volumes in the Ancient Wisdom for Modern Readers series, How to Drink, How to Grieve, How to Tell a Joke, How to Have Willpower, and How to Get Over a Breakup (all Princeton).

SKU	Unavailable
ISBN 13	9780691271460
ISBN 10	0691271461
Title	How to Speak Freely
Author	Plato
Series	Ancient Wisdom For Modern Readers
Condition	Unavailable
Binding Type	Hardback
Publisher	Princeton University Press
Year published	2026-09-29
Cover note	Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary.