Plato

Republic 1 is a foundational text. In addition to being the gateway to the Republic - a seminal work of political philosophy - it looms large in debates about the relationship of Plato's thought to Socratic ethics. Republic 1 also offers a tragic, ironic retrospective on a tumultuous period in Athenian history. We will read and analyze Republic 1 in Greek, playing close attention to Plato's literary fiction and dramaturgy. In addition, we will discuss Book 1 in context of the Republic, Plato's larger oeuvre, and in relation to the genre of Socratic literature (Sokratikoi logoi).