*/ Republic | Book VIII - Part 1 SOCRATES - GLAUCON AND so, Glaucon, we have arrived at the conclusion that in the perfect State wives and children are to be in common; and that all education and the pursuits of war and peace are also to be common, and the best philosophers and the bravest warriors are to be

*/ Republic | Book VIII - Part 2 And, as in a body which is diseased the addition of a touch from without may bring on illness, and sometimes even when there is no external provocation a commotion may arise within -in the same way wherever there is weakness in the State there is also likely to be illness, of

*/ Republic | Book IX - Part 1 SOCRATES - ADEIMANTUS LAST of all comes the tyrannical man; about whom we have once more to ask, how is he formed out of the democratical? and how does he live, in happiness or in misery? Yes, he said , he is the only one remaining. There is, however, I said ,

*/ Republic | Book IX - Part 2 And are we to suppose, I said , that the philosopher sets any value on other pleasures in comparison with the pleasure of knowing the truth, and in that pursuit abiding, ever learning, not so far indeed from the heaven of pleasure? Does he not call the other pleasures necessary, under the

*/ Republic | Book X - Part 1 SOCRATES - GLAUCON OF THE many excellences which I perceive in the order of our State, there is none which upon reflection pleases me better than the rule about poetry. To what do you refer? To the rejection of imitative poetry, which certainly ought not to be received; as I see far

*/ Republic | Book X - Part 2 And now since we have reverted to the subject of poetry, let this our defence serve to show the reasonableness of our former judgment in sending away out of our State an art having the tendencies which we have described; for reason constrained us. But that she may impute to us any

Plato | Life and Legends ca. 428– 348 BC. PLATO was born at Aegina in B.C. 430, the same year that Pericles died of a noble family which traced its descent from Codrus (ca 1089–1068 BC), the last hero -king of Attica. Little is told us of his early years beyond some stories of the divinity which hedged him in

Plato's meeting with Socrates had been a turning point in his life. He had been brought up in comfort, and perhaps in wealth; he was a handsome and vigorous youth—called Plato, it is said, because of the breadth of his shoulders; he had excelled as a soldier, and had won prizes at the Isthmian Games: Plato's subtle soul had found

Socrates, who serves as the mouthpiece of Plato in the dialogue, asks Cephalus: "What do you consider to be the greatest blessing which you have reaped from wealth?" Cephalus answers that wealth is a blessing to him because it enables him to be generous and honest and just. Socrates, after his sly fashion, asks him just what he means by