Plato Republic (Focus Philosophical Library) (Paperback)

by Plato (Author), Joe Sachs (Translator) "The only speaker in the dialogue is Socrates..." (more)
Key Phrases: silver soul, big necessity, mimetic poetry (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
Joe Sachs, known and respected for his excellent translations of Aristotle, deserves great praise for this new translation of Plato's Republic. Based on the latest definitive edition of the Greek text and guided by a sense that Greek in English need not read like an old, foreign tongue, Sachs' translation captures the flow of the conversation in an English that reads smoothly, even when the ideas expressed force one to pause and look again. Fluid, yet accurate, Sachs' translation allows the thoughtful reader deeper entry into this all-important book. The editorial guides and typographical signs to remind the reader of who has joined the argument most recently are all highly helpful and most welcome. I look forward to reading this with students. --~ Charles E. Butterworth, University of Maryland

Product Description
Based on the latest and most authoritative edition of the Republic available, this careful translation provides the groundwork by which students can come to their own understanding of this seminal work of Western thought, as is appropriate for courses in core curriculum which emphasize students dealing directly with Great Books. Other useful features include a chapter-by-chapter outline of principal speakers and summary of the content, Stephanus numbers, boldface type to indicate the entrance of a new speaker into the discussion, footnotes, and glossary of key terms with cross references for the text

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Product Details

• Paperback: 358 pages
• Publisher: Focus Publishing/R. Pullins Co.; 1st edition (December 6, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 158510261X
• ISBN-13: 978-1585102617
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #206,147 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Republic Sachs, October 25, 2007

By	John P. Anders - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Excellent book. The translation is noteworthy for its readability, accuracy, and, not least of all, its provocative footnotes.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Republic made lucid for modern readrers., May 20, 2007

By	Jerry Thompson (Amenia, New York United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

At the age of 50+ I realized that much of what I was trying to figure out cou
ld not be understood without reading -- and understanding -- several basic works in the history of western thought. One of these was Plato's REPUBLIC.

I began reading Jowett's translation, which I had bought about 1964. I kept running up against words I didn't fully understand. The whole thing sounded like a period piece, some antique writing I should appreciate as an historical treasure.

When I encountered Sachs' translation I realized that the thinking the dialogue presents is relevant -- and challenging -- to what we encounter today. The folks in this version sound like educated contemporaries, and there are few words so ambiguous that the reader can't figure out which meaning is intended. This translation reads as living thinking, not as a record of some quaint ideas hatched and frozen long ago.

5.0 out of 5 stars Wonderful Translation, April 16, 2009

By	Bryce H. "B" (Philadelphia) - See all my reviews

My professor switched from Allan Bloom to Joe Sachs. The format makes the text accessible and the translation is as fluid as any I've read.