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The Republic (Penguin Classics) Paperback – September 14, 2007

by Plato (Author), Desmond Lee (Translator), Melissa Lane (Introduction)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,780 ratings
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Plato's The Republic is widely acknowledged as the cornerstone of Western philosophy.

Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, it is an inquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it. During the conversation other questions are raised: what is goodness; what is reality; what is knowledge? The Republic also addresses the purpose of education and the role of both women and men as "guardians" of the people. With remarkable lucidity and deft use of allegory, Plato arrives at a depiction of a state bound by harmony and ruled by "philosopher kings."

For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    416 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Penguin Classics
  4. Publication date
    September 14, 2007
  5. Grade level
    12 and up
  6. Reading age
    18 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    7.8 x 5.08 x 1.13 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0140455116
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0140455113
  10. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Plato (c. 427–347 b.c.) founded the Academy in Athens, the prototype of all Western universities, and wrote more than twenty philosophical dialogues.

Desmond Lee (1908–1993) taught for many years at Cambridge University and also translated Plato’s Timaeus and Critias for Penguin Classics.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Penguin Classics; New edition (September 14, 2007)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 416 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0140455116
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0140455113
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 18 years and up
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 12 and up
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 11.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 7.8 x 5.08 x 1.13 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,780 ratings

About the author

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Plato

Plato

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Plato (428-348 BCE) was a philosopher and mathematician in ancient Greece. A student of Socrates and a teacher of Aristotle, his Academy was one of the first institutions of higher learning in the Western world. He is widely regarded as the father of modern philosophy.

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
1,780 global ratings
Great book - Book condition is decent
4 Stars
Great book - Book condition is decent
I've been curious about Plato so I decided to buy this book. The book is intact though in decent condition (there is slight damage on each corner, which is generally expected, though I expected less of it). Overall, good book.
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Top reviews from the United States

Salami
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome!!!
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2023
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Great Quality!!!
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Taylor Lee
5.0 out of 5 stars Another excellent job by Penguin
Reviewed in the United States on January 23, 2023
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Penguin Classics continues to do a great job in reprinting various classics. They provide excellent footnotes helping the reader understand the various arguments made by Plato. The book can be a little confusing and challenging at times due to Plato seeming preoccupation with mathematical proofs and stars to explain various events, but the editors do an admirable job in helping explain the confusion.
7 people found this helpful
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Pat Nosko
5.0 out of 5 stars Still relevant
Reviewed in the United States on January 22, 2024
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Though writtn centuries ago, Plato's "Republic" is most relevant to our times.
One person found this helpful
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Katie
5.0 out of 5 stars Penguin classics edition
Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2023
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I love getting penguin classic books because you get great quality books for a good price. They always use the best translations and the books are very aesthetically appealing. Definitely great if you want a dark academia library on a budget.
12 people found this helpful
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Jack
5.0 out of 5 stars Get your pagemates ready
Reviewed in the United States on October 7, 2023
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Make sure you have markers for important events and make sure you have a pen around theres a lit of mind boggling stuff…
One person found this helpful
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JH
5.0 out of 5 stars Good value
Reviewed in the United States on November 20, 2023
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Good price and fast shipping.
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plz listen
5.0 out of 5 stars hard as.f, written as a dialogue and it conveys the arguments in such a palatable way
Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2023
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they made me type this its all the header
6 people found this helpful
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Lucas Mendonca Assis
5.0 out of 5 stars Clássico sendo clássico
Reviewed in Brazil on September 19, 2023
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Livro chegou em ótima condição, um orelha na capa mas aparentemente do manejo do pacote, todas o livro estava em perfeita condição
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Rolando poitras
5.0 out of 5 stars The price was too good to resist.
Reviewed in Canada on August 16, 2023
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I've been looking for a copy at a fair price for over a year. I ordered it as soon as I saw the price. I'm not into philosophy. However from what I understand about this book, is that it is the equivalent of the bible for tyrants. To push a tyrannical and dictatorial ideology on the free people of this world. I've read other books like the Prince, the Art of War, and a few others I can't remember right now. All teaching us how to manipulate the masses into accepting enslavement, manipulation, and despair. This book is the grandfather of them all. Nothing like the bible. The Republic is a must read, in order to understand why and how we are brainwashed into believing lies.

" The heaviest penalty for declining to rule is to be ruled by someone inferior to yourself"
- Plato
That's why I highly recommend it. The elites, ivory tower intellectuals, believe WE ARE INFERIOR!
3 people found this helpful
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Al
3.0 out of 5 stars Well... Tough to understand the book in its whole the first time
Reviewed in Germany on April 21, 2024
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I do understand that Plato is the most influential philosopher of Western Society. However, it is important to understand that the reader will at times need to be in a disagreement with the author

The whole book revolves around discussions between Socrates and other characters in the style of, what we call 'Platonic dialogues'. The topic that is being tackled is about Justice and Injustice and to figure out what a just man does and what an unjust man does. The Republic has been taken into different interpretations by statesmen and has been the foundation of many undesired states as well. At times I felt like I was reading a communist manifesto within the dialogues or eugenics between Nazis. Then there are even traces of feminism and gender equality.

As with many philosophy books, this book can sometimes be a drag to read, especially with some chapters.

If you're a beginner in Philosophy or have a slight interest in reading about Philosophy and want to start with Socrates and Plato, I would say, do not start with this book yet. Get yourself introduced in the topics they brought up in a form of a summarized book. If you especially want to understand the Ancient Greeks, read a general book about their history.

Since it was my first time reading this book, I'll read it another time but a bit more thoroughly, if I find the time to read it.
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Sahil
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book to get into philosophy
Reviewed in India on February 26, 2024
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Sahil
5.0 out of 5 stars Best book to get into philosophy
Reviewed in India on February 26, 2024
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One person found this helpful
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Lucas
3.0 out of 5 stars Decent book, but not an easy read
Reviewed in Sweden on January 16, 2023
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Decent book, but it’s very easy to get lost & there’s many words that probably you will have to look up to understand.
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