The Republic

340 Pages·1979·17.17 MB·English

by  Plato, Raymond Larson, Eva T. H. Brann

Crofts Classics Crofts Classics

Addison Essays in Criticism and Literary Theory (Continued from inside front cover)
Aristophanes The Birds / Plautus: The Brothers Menaechmus
Aristophanes The Clouds / Plautus: The Pot of Gold Milton Areopagitica and Of Education
Aristophanes Lysistrata Milton Samson Agonistes and Shorter Poems
Arnold Selected Poems Montaigne Selections from the Essays
Bacon New Atlantis and The Great Instauration, rev. ed. More Utopia
Browning Selected Poems Newman The Uses of Knowledge: Selections from The Idea of a
Congreve The Way of the World University
Corneille Le Cid Pascal Selections from the Thoughts
Dante Divine Comedy. Complete in one volume. Petrarch Selected Sonnets, Odes, and Letters
Gay The Beggar’s Opera and Companion Pieces Plato The Republic
Goldsmith She Stoops to Conquer Plato The Symposium and The Phaedo
Hamilton, Selections from the Federalist Racine Phaedra
Madison & Jay Shapiro, ed. The Constitution of the United States and Related
Hazlitt Selected Essays Documents
Huxley Selections from the Essays Shaw Major Barbara
Ibsen Ghosts / Strindberg: Miss Julia Sheridan The Rivals
Ibsen Hedda Gabler Sheridan The School for Scandal
Ibsen The Wild Duck Smith Selections from The Wealth of Nations
Jefferson Selected Writings Sophocles Oedipus at Colonus and Electra
Johnson The History of Rasselas, Prince of Abyssinia Sophocles Oedipus the King and Antigone
Jonson Volpone, or The Fox Strindberg The Father and A Dream Play
Keats Selected Poems Strindberg Ghost Sonata / Ibsen: When We Dead Awaken
Locke The Second Treatise of Government Synge The Playboy of the Western World and Riders to the Sea
Machiavelli The Prince Thoreau Selected Writings
Marlowe Doctor Faustus Voltaire Candide
Marx & Engels The Communist Manifesto (cid:58)(cid:72)(cid:69)(cid:86)(cid:87)(cid:72)(cid:85)(cid:3) (cid:3) (cid:55)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:3)(cid:39)(cid:88)(cid:70)(cid:75)(cid:72)(cid:86)(cid:86)(cid:3)(cid:82)(cid:73)(cid:3)(cid:48)(cid:68)(cid:79)(cid:192)
Mill On Liberty Wordsworth Selected Poems
Mill Subjection of Women Wordsworth Selected Critical Essays
& Coleridge
(Continued on inside back cover)
The Republic
Crofts Classics
GENERAL EDITOR
Samuel H. Beer, Harvard University
PLATO
Republic
The
TRANSLATED AND EDITED BY
Raymond Larson
SAINT JOHN'S UNIVERSITY
COLLEGEVILLE, MINNESOTA
WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY
Eva T. H. Brann
ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE
ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND
Harlan Davidson, Inc.
Wheeling, Illinois 60090-6000
Copyright © 1979
Harlan Davidson. Inc.
All rights reserved
Except as permitted under United States copyright law. no part of this
publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means,
or stored in a database or any retrieval system. without prior written
permission of the publisher. Address inquiries to Harlan Davidson, Inc., 773
Glenn Avenue. Wheeling, Illinois, 60090-6000.
Visit us on the World Wide Web at www.harlandavidson.com.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Plato.
The Republic
(Crofts classics)
Bibilography: p.
I. Political Science-Early works to 1700. 2. Utopias. I. Title.
[JC71.P35 1986] 321'.07 86-6247
ISBN 0-88295-118-1 (pbk.)
ISBN 0-88295-I 2 I -1 (hard)
Manufactured in the United States of America
11100908 18192021MG
synoptic
table of contents·
Preface and background to the Republic xiii
Introduction xxiii
Principal Dates xlvii
CURRENT OPINIONS OF JUSTICE REFUTED
(Book I) 1
INTRODUCTORY SCENE (327a-328b). SOCRATES AND
GLAUCON ARE BROUGHT TO THE HOUSE OF CEPHALUS,
WHERE THE MAIN DISCUSSION TAKES PLACE.
INTRODUCTORY DIALOGUE (SOCRATES AND CEPHALUS,
328c-33Id). 2 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM: What IS
justice?
First Definition (Cephalus, 33Ia-d): 5 Justice is
telling the truth and returning what you receive. This is shown
to be inadequate; one should not return a weapon or
tell the whole truth to a madman,
Second Definition (Polemarchus, 33 Id-336a):Justice is
giving each his due, which is equated with giving help to
friends and harm to enemies.
Refutation (332c-335d). 6 By analogy from the
crafts, Socrates reduces this definition to absurd conclu
sions: a) 332c-333e. According to this definition,justice
has no specific sphere of activity, as the other crafts do
*The table of contents indicates the main logical division in the
argument of the Republic. The traditional division into ten books
does not always coincide with natural breaks in the argument.
v
VI contents
(medicine cares for the body, etc.), except perhaps for
guarding things. It is passive, and therefore useless. b)
333e-334b. 8 One who knows how to guard
something also knows how to steal it. Therefore the just
man is a thief. c) 334c-e. 9 Friends are those
we think good, enemies bad. It is just to help the good
and harm the bad. But we often mistake the one for
the other. In that case, it is just to harm friends and
help enemies. d) 335b-d. It is just to harm enemies.
But harming people makes them less just. Therefore,
according to Polymarchus's definition, justice makes
people unjust.
Third Definition (Thrasymachus, 338c-343a): 13
Justice is the advantage of the stronger. This phrase refers
to justice in the state rather than in the individual. Rulers
("the stronger") make laws for their own advantage or
profit. Their subjects ("the weaker") must obey these
laws, and this obedience is justice. Justice therefore con
sists in the weaker acting to the advantage of the
stronger.
Refutation (33gb-e): 14 Thrasymachus admits
that rulers can make mistakes and pass laws to their own
disadvantage. But it is just for their subjects to obey
these laws. Justice would therefore be as much the dis
advantage as the advantage of the stronger.
Redefinition of Ruler (34od-341a): 15 Thrasy
machus argues that a ruler is a craftsman, and, as such,
uses knowledge to practice his craft. Mistakes occur
through lack of knowledge. A man who errs in ruling
lacks knowledge, and at that moment he is not a ruler.
A true ruler never makes mistakes.
Refutation (341c-343a): 16 Socrates shows that
other crafts pursue the advantage of their subjects.
Medicine does not seek the advantage of medicine, but
of the body. But medicince "rules" the body and thus is
"the stronger." Hence the stronger rules for the advan
tage of the weaker. Thrasymachus's definition has been
shown to contradict itself, for justice is in reality the
advantage of the weaker.
contents VII
New Argument (343a-348a). 18 Thrasymachus
now argues that injustice (a) profits a man and (b) makes
men happy.
Refutations of (a): i) 345b-348a. 20 Analo~y
from crafts: a craft profits its subject, not its practI
tioner. ii) 348b-350C. 23 A proof that just men
are wise and good, unjust men ignorant and bad. If
injustice makes men ignorant and bad, it can hardly be
profitable. iii) 350d-352C. 26 Justice is more
efficacious than injustice. Injustice is divisive; even
criminals need justice to work together.
Refutation of (b), 352d-354a: 28 Everything has
a specific function, which it performs well with its
proper excellence. The eye's function is seeing, which
it performs well with the excellence of sight. The soul's
function is living, which it performs well with the excel
lence of justice. Just men live well and therefore are
happy.
Conclusion (354a-c). 30 Confession of failure.
We have learned nothing because we were examining
attributes of justice rather than its essence, what it is in
itself.
JUSTICE REEXAMINED, IN THE STATE AND IN THE
INDIVIDUAL (Books 2-4) 31
THE PROBLEM RESTATED (357a-367a): What are justice
and injustice in themselves?
Glaucon (357a-362c). The "popular view:" Justice is
not natural but conventional-an agreement of the weak
to protect themselves from the strong. It is a compro
mise between the best life (committing injustice) and
the worst (suffering injustice). The best life is that of a
successful criminal who has a reputation for honesty.
Adeimantus (362d-367e). 35 People praise jus
tice not for itself but for the rewards it brings. Socrates
must show that justice and injustice are good and bad
in themselves, apart from rewards and punishments.
THE PROBLEM EXAMINED AND SOLVED (368c-445e). 40
Justice may be easier to find in a state than in an
Vlll contents
individual. Socrates therefore proposes to construct an
imaginary city and search for justice first in it and then in
the individual.
Origin and Composition of the State; its Ruling Class
(368e-434d)
First Stage of the State (368e-372d). The minimal city,
founded on need and based on mutual aid; necessary
occupations (farmers, craftsmen, merchants, laborers);
specialization of labor; money.
Second Stage oft he State (372d-427c). 44 The lux
urious city: unnecessary occupations, art, war. War cre
ates classes: workers (civilians) and guardians
(soldiers). Later (414b) expanded to three classes: work
ers, auxiliaries (soldiers), and guardians (rulers).
ELEMENTARY EDUCATION of the guardians
(3 76c-4ISd). 48
Poetry (literature and music), 376e-403C. Poetry and
music examined for their effects on character and
censored accordingly: plots, genres (392C), and
music (398c, p. 67).
Gymnastics (physical education), 403c-412b. 73
Instilling and testing patriotism and leadership,
412C-4ISd. 81 "Noble lie" (414c):mythof
the four metals, which is intended to keep the three
classes from intermingling.
LIVING ARRANGEMENTS of guardians and auxiliaries
(4ISd-427c). 85 Communism, no private
property or money; necessary legislation, etc.
Conclusion (427c-434d). 94 Discovery of the
four prime excellences in the state.
WISDOM = the knowledge of the guardians
(428a-429a). 95
COURAGE = the auxiliaries' opinion of "what is and is
not to be feared" (429a-430c). 96
TEMPERANCE = agreement of all three classes about
who should rule and be ruled (43od-432b). 97