Republic (Paperback)
Plato (author), Christopher Rowe (translator)Published: 27/09/2012
An authoritative new translation of Plato's The Republic by Christopher Rowe, with notes and an introduction.
'We set about founding the best city we could, because we could be confident that if it was good we would find justice in it'
The Republic, Plato's masterwork, was first enjoyed 2,400 years ago and remains one of the most widely-read books in the world: as a foundational work of Western philosophy, and for the richness of its ideas and virtuosity of its writing. Presented as a dialogue between Plato's teacher Socrates and various interlocutors, it is an exhortation to philosophy, inviting its readers to reflect on the choices to be made if we are to live the best life available to us. This complex, dynamic work creates a picture of an ideal society governed not by the desire for money, power or fame, but by philosophy, wisdom and justice.
Christopher Rowe's accurate and enjoyable new translation remains faithful to the many variations of the Republic's tone, style and pace. This edition also contains a chronology, further reading, an outline of the work's main arguments and an introduction discussing Plato's relationship with Socrates, and the Republic's style, ideas and historical context.
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
ISBN: 9780141442433
Number of pages: 496
Weight: 340 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 21 mm
MEDIA REVIEWS
What does it mean to be good? What enables us to distinguish right from wrong? And how should human virtues be translated into a just society? These are the questions that Plato sought to answer in this monumental work of moral and political philosophy, a book surpassed only by the Bible in its formative influence on two thousand years of Western thought.
In the course of its tautly reasoned Socratic dialogues, The Republic accomplishes nothing less than an anatomy of the soul and an exhaustive description of a State that both mirrors and enforces the soul's ideal harmony. The resulting text is at once mystical and elegantly logical and may be read as a template for the societies in which most of us live today.
Vintage Classics are quality paperback editions of the world's greatest written works. They are durably bound and are printed exclusively on acid-free paper.
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“Affordable and Excellent”
Rowe's translation is well written and up to date in language. As a modern speaker of English, this I commend him for. He is quite logical in his translation, and his notes are spot-on. I am able to follow his... More
“Thought Provoking Read.”
What I really love about Plato’s work is the fact that it is written as a dialect rather than in the way that other philosophers approach their work. Through being written as a dialect Plato’s work is much easier to... More
“Plato's Republic - Waterfield translation”
This book is an excellent translation of Plato's Republic, but readers should still check some of the translation against the actual ancient Greek terminology used. Waterfield translates dikaiosune as morality,... More
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