Socrates (469-399 BC) is one of history's most enigmatic and intriguing figures. He is often considered the father of Western philosophy, yet the four most famous accounts we have of him present a contradictory, confusing picture.

This collection of essays is a tribute to two respected scholars of classical antiquity whose contributions were many and distinguished. The subject matter runs the gamut of classical studies, ranging from the fifth century BCE to Late Antiquity.

We lack automatic and simple answers to the question "Why Vergil?" — or many similar questions for that matter: why literature, why art, especially why old literature — and at that — why literature in an old language? Yet even after 2,000 years, the voice of Vergil still resonates with the universal human cry.

—From the Introduction