Guthrie covers all of the earlier Platonic dialogs in this volume, up to and including THE REPUBLIC. The next volume in the series (THE LATER PLATO AND THE ACADEMY) covers the rest. Each chapter covers one or two dialogs. Guthrie mentions work published by previous philosophers, and indicates where he agrees and disagrees. The book has a particular emphasis on the development of Plato's theory of the Forms and the influence of the Pythagoreans and Parmenides on Plato's thought. It's very reader-friendly yet packed with information. I can recommend both volumes to casual Plato fans.
This six-volume history of Greek philosophy, which Guthrie unfortunately left unfinished, is a monument of scholarship. His knowledge of Greek is staggering, his treatments are thorough, and he is generally careful to let you know where the facts leave off and interpretations begin. My one reservation is that he sometimes betrays more interest in historical minutiae than in philosophy; for instance, his treatment of Plato (vols. 4-5) attaches far too much importance to the order in which the dialogues were written (as if we could be really sure of that!). And there's no question that these books are expensive and meant only for the serious student. But if Greek philosophy is your passion, you can't overlook these volumes.
