Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/ancient-greece/plato/plato-politeia-3.asp?pg=71

ELPENOR - Home of the Greek Word

Three Millennia of Greek Literature
PLATO HOME PAGE  /  PLATO COMPLETE WORKS  /  SEARCH PLATO WORKS  

Plato : POLITEIA

Persons of the dialogue: Socrates - Glaucon - Polemarchus
 - Adeimantus - Cephalus - Thrasymachus - Cleitophon
Translated by Benjamin Jowett - 77 Pages (Part 3) - Greek fonts
Search Plato's works / Plato Anthology / The Greek Word Library

Plato notes @ Elpenor = Note by Elpenor 

POLITEIA part 3 of 4, 5

Part 1 / 2

ELPENOR EDITIONS IN PRINT

The Original Greek New Testament

Plato in print

This Part: 77 Pages


Part 3 Page 71

And the philosopher holding converse with the divine order, becomes orderly and divine, as far as the nature of man allows; but like every one else, he will suffer from detraction.

Of course.

And if a necessity be laid upon him of fashioning, not only himself, but human nature generally, whether in states or individuals, into that which he beholds elsewhere, will he, think you, be an unskilful artificer of justice, temperance, and every civil virtue?

Anything but unskilful.

And if the world perceives that what we are saying about him is the truth, will they be angry with philosophy? Will they disbelieve us, when we tell them that no state can be happy which is not designed by artists who imitate the heavenly pattern?

They will not be angry if they understand, he said. But how will they draw out the plan of which you are speaking?

They will begin by taking the state and the manners of men, from which, as from a tablet, they will rub out the picture, and leave a clean surface. This is no easy task. But whether easy or not, herein will lie the difference between them and every other legislator, —they will have nothing to do either with individual or state, and will inscribe no laws, until they have either found, or themselves made, a clean surface.

They will be very right, he said.

Having effected this, they will proceed to trace an outline of the constitution?

No doubt.

Previous Page / First / Next Page of this part

Politeia part 4 of 5. Part 1 / 2. You are at part 3

  Plato Home Page / Bilingual Anthology   Plato Search ||| Aristotle

Three Millennia of Greek Literature

 

Greek Literature - Ancient, Medieval, Modern

Elpenor's Greek Forum : Post a question / Start a discussion

Learned Freeware

Reference address : https://ellopos.net/elpenor/greek-texts/ancient-greece/plato/plato-politeia-3.asp?pg=71

Copyright : Elpenor 2006 -