Status Updates From Republic (Oxford World's Cl...

Finished Book 10:
Socrates criticizes imitative, tragic or comic, Homeric poetry. warns that dramatic poetry feeds irrational, emotional mind & breaks down self-control. outlines new poetry that supports the philosophic life. He gives the principle Aristotle developed in the Poetics, which is embodied in the works of Dante & Shakespeare. It is still poetry, but poetry which points beyond itself.

Summary of Book 9:
just person is happier than unjust person who spends his money, deceives, steals, lives in constant fear, poverty, and misery.
Only philosopher experiences all 3 kinds of pleasure (profit, honor, truth) ; knows the nature of true reality, soqualified to judge which life is best.
Pleasures (reason, truth) are real & stable; appetitive pleasures of unjust are illusory and never truly satisfy.

Finished Book IX and commentary

Starting Book X