Product Description

Long regarded as the most accurate rendering of Plato's Republic that has yet been published, this widely acclaimed work is the first strictly literal translation of a timeless classic. This second edition includes a new introduction by Professor Bloom, whose careful translation and interpretation of The Republic was first published in 1968. In addition to the correct text itself there is also a rich and valuable essay--as well as indexes and a glossary of terms--which will better enable the reader to approach the heart of Plato's intention.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15262 in Books
• Published on: 1991-10-02
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 512 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780465069347
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

Review
"Very readable translation....The synopses at the start of each chapter are also quite helpful. The division into more natural chapters and sections is far superior to the 10 book divisions."--Janet L. Binder, University of Minnesota

"Remains the most accessible and readable of the Republic translations. AN excellent introduction to the literary beauty of Plato."--Charles S. Brown, Emporia State University

"A classic! Well presented for introductory courses."--Gray Cox, College of the Atlantic

"The translation is clear, the notes useful, and the preface a fine introduction to principles of translation--all this for a reasonable price."--Robert C. Bennion, Brigham Young University

"I've found that Cornford's translation is understandble to beginning students and his summaries help clarify the texts for students."--Stephen R. Dickerson, South Puget Sound Community College

"The clearest, most readable and philosophically most reliable translation of the Republic available."--Harvey Burstein, Queens College

"The clearest and most lucid translation of Plato's meaning in language that is both simple and colloquial and yet faithful to the philosophical complexity of Plato's ideas."--Harvey Burstein, Queens College

"Still one of the best!"--Katherine King, University of California, Los Angeles

"Without question the best available edition...for the beginning student. Cornford's translation and arrangement are unsurpassed."--Phillip B. Greene, Oxnard College

Language Notes
Text: English (translation)
Original Language: Greek

About the Author

Customer Reviews

A great translation that does justice to a great work
Plato's Republic is really beyond reviews, and it would be presumptuous do anything other than encourage potential readers to study it for themselves. As the overt political slants of some of the other reviews suggest, his ideas resonate in the modern world as much as they did in his own. Whether a reader approaches Republic with positive or negative prejudices, the actual text of the argument forces constant reevaluation and refinement of those preexisting opinions.

Allan Bloom has created a literal translation that is ideal for those who truly wish to engage with Plato. Most other translators have used non-literal methods that attempt to convey in a more contemporary form what Plato "meant" by his arguments. However, in this process the translator's own interpretation of Plato's argument inevitably influences the language in which he renders his translation. Bloom has attempted, with a great degree of success, to separate the processes of translation and interpretation. Rather than imposing his reading on the text itself, he express it in a thought-provoking interpretive essay that follows the text

This is probably not the easiest translation of Plato to read, because Bloom does not attempt to serve as a baby-sitter for his readers. However, the extra time spent in reading this version will be well rewarded by a deeper understanding of Plato's argument.

Prefigurement
Since their greatness is already established, I usually don't review canonical works like this. However, I can't resist in this case. What a pleasure it would have been if, as a political philosophy major, I had been assigned this translation. Bloom's essentially literal translation sweeps away the "dynamically equivalent" dross of popular translations such as those of Cornford, Lee, and Grube/Reeve which, in the name of "contemporary relevance" and "readability," dumb down this work almost beyond recognition and, more insidiously, distort Plato's meaning to conform with contemporary prejudices. Bloom explains all of this brilliantly in his Preface, at one point writing:

"Plato intended his works essentially for the intelligent and industrious few, a natural aristocracy determined neither by birth nor wealth, and this translation attempts to do nothing which would contradict that intention."

Strong medicine, but it does the trick beautifully. Also included is a lengthy and excellent interpretive essay (indeed, the book is worth buying for this alone), along with many exhaustive and deeply perceptive textual notes.

Since I see a number of dubious interpretations among the reviews here, here's an alternative:

In The Republic, Plato dramatizes the fact that our souls can't be satisfied through political means. He transposes the order of the soul into the political order to see what the attempt to meet the demands of the soul through political means would look like. Such a state would destroy the family, engage in eugenics, militarize its citizens, eliminate privacy, and be radically communist. Plato - through Socrates - shows that any attempt to fulfill the soul's ultimate desires through politics would transform the state into a totalitarian enterprise. Politics cannot meet the needs of the human soul, for it cannot achieve perfect justice. Therefore, Plato argues for the immortality of the soul: Justice requires the immortality of the soul because the demands of justice cannot be met in this life. According to James V. Schall, Socrates hints at even more: that "the lover and the beloved should be together in eternity." There seems something profoundly right about this intimation because, as Aquinas said, the world was created not out of justice but out of charity. Whether from justice or love, there is something essential in man's makeup that finds its end outside of politics - something that can only be reached by the divine or the transcendent.

For more on this, google these words:

The Highest Things A review of Roman Catholic Political Philosophy, by James V. Schall Claremont Institute

If Plato's works are as important in your life as they are in mine, then you must have this book. I recommend that you supplement it, as I did, with the wonderful DVD lecture series entitled "Plato's Republic" produced by The Teaching Company (incidentally, the professor's lectures are based on this translation).

Great Political Theory and Philosophy
The main arguments of The Republic are so well known that they hardly need restatement in this review. The central issues in this book are of great importance, but one should also take note of the side issues that Plato raises in political theory and philosophy.

Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of this book is its coverage of issues in theoretical politics. The Republic covers so much ground in Political Theory and Political Philosophy that it is hard to see any other great thinker as completely original. Plato hinted at or mentioned ideas in politics later developed by Rousseau, Marx, Nietche, Hayek... All political theorists should cite Plato, because he thought of practically everything of importance in political theory.

Personally, I find Rousseau more interesting as a pure political philosopher, but that is not saying much. Rousseau was an absolute genius. Plato had brilliant insights in political philosophy, and he anticipated important elements of Rousseau's work anyway.

The Republic does have an Achilles heel: economics (or political economy). The problem here is not so much that he was wrong about economics, but rather than he passed over this subject. Much of what Plato wrote about his ideal Republic is hard to defend in light of economic theory. Some might think me unfair for criticizing Plato by modern standards, but general economic laws were neither different nor unintelligible in Plato's time. Furthermore, Aristotle had a few insights that fit with what we now know as economics. How could someone as brilliant as Plato not see the issues in his book from "the economic point of view"? After all, key elements of modern economics boil down to common sense. Furthermore, there are subtleties to modern economics that raise serious problems with his idea of rule by a philosopher-king.

The lack of economic reasoning in The Republic does not really detract much from its greatness. Given the situation in the ancient world, it was only natural that great thinkers would focus on politics, and pass over economics. Economic issues did not really become apparent until the first wave of Globalozation began, so Plato should have focused on politics instead. That being said, Plato's Republic stands as THE most important book of Political Theory ever written.

This edition of The Republic is important because it includes Alan Blooms interpretive essay. Bloom makes you think more deeply about Plato. This book is a must-have for anyone with serious interest in political or interdisciplinary academic interests.