Many of these are surprisingly very readable, particularly if you're willing to wade into their world. For example, I find it hilarious that, in The Republic, G

Many of these are surprisingly very readable, particularly if you're willing to wade into their world. For example, I find it hilarious that, in The Republic, Glaucon (if I recall correctly) complains directly about Socrates using his method that has sometimes impressed all of us or been impressed upon us as the irrefutable voice of authority. He says, practically in so many words, "You're just being a smart aleck! You ask a bunch of leading questions and get smug when we don't have immediate criticisms for your supposedly inevitable answers! But all it really means is that they're different from suggestions that we've heard before!" On the other hand, I had little success trudging through An Essay Concerning Human Understanding by John Locke. So, I'd suggest that a reader who makes a patient attempt will find that many of them open up and become old friends. If not, I wouldn't bother to suffer through. There are plenty of books to try. You can always try one again in another decade or perhaps another lifetime.