The Continuum Companion To Plato

People usually think of Plato as a philosopher. That is correct, as far as it goes; but it can be argued that Plato was not merely  a  philosopher. He actually created and gave the initial definition to the specific intellectual practise and way of life that has been called philosophy ever since, even though his own philosophic work was far less narrow than what has been common under the label philosophy in the last century. He is also the most influential of all the ancient philosophers, and perhaps of all philosophers.