Klowey’s Reviews > The Republic of Plato > Status Update

Commentary on (372e-376c) about giving up on the simple city and requiring war.

Finished commentary on Book 1: They have succeeded in defining the problem of Justice. Justice is either what makes a city prosper or it is a virtue of the soul and hence necessary to the happiness of the individual. The question is whether the two possibilities are identical? It is left to Glaucon and Adeimantus to pose this question
which is the distiHation of the arguments of Book I.

Book 1, defines justice. Cephalus=justice as truthfulness/repaying debts. Soc counters w/ex of not returning weapons to madmen. Polemarchus =help friends/harm enemies. Soc rejects, harm worsens people. Thrasymachus claims justice is advantage of stronger where rulers make laws for own benefit, unjust thrive more than the just. Soc refutes, true rulers seek subjects' good, leaving the question unresolved

In Bloom's commentary section on Book 1:
Starting 336b-354b
P. cannot let go of the idea that Justice must encompass protection of property

Finished:
Book 1
Book 2

Reading:
Commentary on Book 1

read:
Book 1, Book 2

read:
Interpretive Essay
(327a-328b)
(328b-331d)

Starting Book 3
Interpretive Essay (331d-336a)

starting Book 3

starting Book 2