- Paperback: 469 pages
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd; 2nd edition (28 Nov 1974)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0140440488
- ISBN-13: 978-0140440485
- Product Dimensions: 19.8 x 12.9 x 2.1 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 82,216 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Republic (Penguin Classics)
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Synopsis
The best known of Plato's dialogues, "The Republic" applies the principles of philosophy to political affairs. Ostensibly a discussion of the nature of justice, it lays before us Plato's vision of the ideal state, covering a wide range of topics, social, educational, psychological, moral and philosophical. It also includes in the process, some of Plato's most important writing on the nature of reality and the theory of the 'forms'. Plato is critical of Athenian democracy, which had been responsible for the execution of his friend, and teacher, Socrates, and his political ideas, as expressed in "The Republic", started lines of thought which are still relevant today. This translation was first published in 1955 and revised in 1974 and 1987. The translator died in 1993.
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First Sentence
I went down yesterday to the Piraeus with Glaucon, son of Ariston. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
I went down yesterday to the Piraeus with Glaucon, son of Ariston. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
77 of 84 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I've owned two translations of this book and the Lee translation is much easier to read than the Waterfield translation by virtue of keeping readers notes as footnotes rather than placing them at the back of the book and just by the general style of the English used. There are also excellent notes and diagrams about the concepts in the book which will be useful to anyone studying this book as an academic text. This book is a story but it would never make a good film as it is all talk and no action. The main discussion point is what makes the ideal society. According to Socrates (the main speaker) it would be totalitarian and undemocratic, Most people will disagree with this but it is a well argued point that shows that politicians in any age can never be anything but corrupt and challenges views that people may have about the correctness of democracy. This is more than just a book on politics. Society is also used as a metaphor for the individual and this book explores the nature of morality and living a just life as well as the nature of true goodness and true beauty. The concepts in this book are not easily grasped and it requires some re-reading but the effort pays off in the end. Some of the ideas may seem a bit obscure but this book still holds its own after two and a half thousand years.
22 of 25 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Certainly a must read for anyone interested in politics or philosophy. This is a cornerstone of western philosophy and deserves to be read far into the future. Relatively clear, easy to understand and a joy to read.
This Penguin Classics edition also has an excellent introduction (spanning more than 50 pages), and very useful translation notes. Each new chapter has a brief introduction explaning the main points and ideas running through the chapter. Given the price, this edition is a bargain.
This Penguin Classics edition also has an excellent introduction (spanning more than 50 pages), and very useful translation notes. Each new chapter has a brief introduction explaning the main points and ideas running through the chapter. Given the price, this edition is a bargain.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I read this translation originally, but I lost my copy and decided to replace it with a nicer-looking hardback copy (The Republic: The Influential Classic (Capstone Classics)). I didn't know what all the fuss was about over different translations... but I quickly found out! The hardback I bought was a translation by Tom Butler-Bowdon and I hated it. I would read a paragraph and then wonder what on earth I'd just read. Somehow, the words just felt unnatural and it was difficult to take in. At first I thought it was because I was tired, but then I realised it was the translation.
This paperback version (translated by Desmond Lee) is, by contrast, wonderful So smooth and easy to take in. After a few days of frustration with the hardback, I ditched it and bought the Lee translation again. I love this book. It has been a favorite of mine for years. I'm so glad to have my old friendly version back again. It turns out the translation makes all the difference.
It's a shame about the hardback. I really liked the way it looked on my shelf, but the old cliché is true: you can't judge a book by its cover!
This paperback version (translated by Desmond Lee) is, by contrast, wonderful So smooth and easy to take in. After a few days of frustration with the hardback, I ditched it and bought the Lee translation again. I love this book. It has been a favorite of mine for years. I'm so glad to have my old friendly version back again. It turns out the translation makes all the difference.
It's a shame about the hardback. I really liked the way it looked on my shelf, but the old cliché is true: you can't judge a book by its cover!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A book that has done enormous harm to our society
A superb and easy to read translation of a book that has done enormous harm to our society - read it and weep. Read more
Published 19 days ago by Brownbear101
Plato - The Republic
If you're thinking about reading The Republic, then I would. But I wouldn't read it as a first work of Plato, and certainly not as one of Plato's first works, as it is quite... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Percy Piganaut
needed for philosophy course
this book was useful for my A level situdy. good quality but don't need the whole text. hard to understand unless you have basic knowledge of Plato
Published 7 months ago by philosophical text
A classic
To be enjoyed by all. From beginner to professor. This book is loved by many who study philosophy and ethics.
Published 8 months ago by Anon
Very good modernisation
This book has a very modern feel despite the text being around 2500 years old. I like the translation, the choice of words feel more correct, I think it corresponds more to our... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Thomas
A must read for all politicians
The republic is my top recommendation for anyone getting to grips with politics, within these weighty pages we find a Socratic dialogue that offers more sense to how to run our... Read more
Published 15 months ago by Den
The ultimate Socratic dialogue?
"The Republic" is Plato's classical utopia, and perhaps one of the most controversial political texts ever written. It's so absurd that some people deny that Plato really meant it! Read more
Published 17 months ago by Ashtar Command
Great Book
Fantastic read, i only gave it 4* due to the difficulty of reading such an old text.
Published on 22 May 2009 by Mr. L. G. Dawson
Absolutely splendid!
Describing "The Republic" in such few words is somewhat difficult, as it has so much to say. Read more
Published on 4 Oct 2001
A triumph of wisdom over intellect
I just noticed somebody said that this book would not make a good film. What about The Matrix? Plato's analogy of the cave describes the mechanism by which our concept of truth... Read more
Published on 16 Mar 2001 by paul.widdecombe@adserve.co.uk
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