---
product_id: 2742373
title: "Republic (Hackett Classics)"
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---

# Republic (Hackett Classics)

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Republic (Hackett Classics) [Plato, C. D. C. Reeve, C. D. C. Reeve] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Republic (Hackett Classics)

Review: Men in Togas (Cloaks) Discuss Today's Issues - Plato's Republic is a challenging and exciting book, the first title on the Columbia College Contemporary Civilization Reading List. I've often heard that much of Western thought is a footnote to Plato and Aristotle. By reading this full work, the reader, even if otherwise unfamiliar with these giants, will start to see why Plato is important. While challenging in content, it's a fun read because the manner of speaking is often ironic and informal, as if the men are enjoying an after dinner discussion while downing a few brandies. In the translator's preface, we find out that this book, as a "dialogue", is recounted by Plato as a conversation between Socrates and others, and not simply as a report by Plato of what Socrates told him. The reader sees that what is seemingly obvious is really a millennia-old strategy developed for readability. This information serves more than to inform technically, by reminding the reader of the good luck to have this record, despite time's passage which has lost many classical works. In the introduction, we learn of Plato's family background and early life: his familiarity with local politics, and his distaste for the political life partly due to the execution in 399 BCE of his mentor, Socrates. This background helps frame and inspire the philosophical quest of The Republic, to find out and explain how one should live in order to be happy. Particularly, Socrates investigates whether it is better to be "just," or to gain the advantages of being immoral while also taking advantage of a reputation for being moral. Sections of the introduction that outline the Republic's thesis, and that summarize Plato's ideas (e.g., of forms) provide general knowledge and also help guide us through the text's often indirect arguments. Much of the discussion between Socrates and the others, usually Plato's brothers, is about a "kallipolis," or beautiful city. This is a city-state that would be ruled, protected, and supported, by the best-suited individuals, in both native ability and training: gold, silver, and bronze. Readers will vary in their agreement with Plato's ideas (e.g., infanticide of the unfit, and telling only favorable stories about the gods) and assumptions, such as the superiority of homogeneity over variety. I found my enjoyment of these points to be as much in the manner of speaking between the men - irony and sarcasm among lofty topics - as on finding convincing or insightful arguments, though these are also made. The modern reader may too easily be tempted to smugness, and then remember more recent superstitions supporting religious, racial, and gender bias. The men discuss ideas that have shone through the ages, and are worth our reflection in daily life. For example, in Book 2, imagine that there are different kinds of lies, some useful and essentially good, and some evil. Are we ever misled for our own good? For the support of a war to protect national interests that we may otherwise not accept, or so we have confidence in our large financial institutions? Plato envisioned situations like these and identified them as merely lies in words, and thus not as evil. Lies that are evil are "true lies" that can lead someone truly away from goodness. As another example, in Book 7, the men consider whether it is ever too soon for a person to learn argumentation because without wisdom, he will become attached to disputation. In this respect, do we ever win only for the sake of winning, regardless of the truth of our contention? Or, have you ever asked anyone if they've lived in a cave, such as a cave of ignorance? Remembering your first job, and feeling the need to get along with a social clique, was it ever necessary to understand the views of those who saw only shadows against a wall? It's all here, in Book 7, dramatized, including the initial ache of discovery and the criticism by the cave-dwellers of those who have escaped seeing only the shadows. And what about the "body politic"? Is this just a convenient media phrase? Books 8 and 9 discuss various forms of government - e.g., oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny - and how they evolve from one to the other. They describe the sort of individual that embodies each of them. So, while perhaps a cute metaphor, it is one that originated among the ancients. This edition contains other sections: a select bibliography, a synopsis for each of the ten books, a glossary of terms, a glossary and index of names, and a general index. The many footnotes provide either explanation (e.g., a reference to another classical work) or a text reference as identified in the column. In addition to the drama of the ideas, and the privilege of learning at the knee of a giant, there is a lot of help here for the ambitious reader.
Review: Nice book, great for college - Perfect for my intro to philosophy class

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| Best Sellers Rank | #26,528 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) #56 in Ancient Greek & Roman Philosophy #58 in Political Philosophy (Books) #84 in History & Theory of Politics |
| Customer Reviews | 4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars (504) |
| Dimensions  | 6 x 1 x 8.75 inches |
| Edition  | First Edition |
| ISBN-10  | 0872207366 |
| ISBN-13  | 978-0872207363 |
| Item Weight  | 2.31 pounds |
| Language  | English |
| Print length  | 392 pages |
| Publication date  | September 15, 2004 |
| Publisher  | Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. |

## Images

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## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Men in Togas (Cloaks) Discuss Today's Issues
*by C***I on February 27, 2012*

Plato's Republic is a challenging and exciting book, the first title on the Columbia College Contemporary Civilization Reading List. I've often heard that much of Western thought is a footnote to Plato and Aristotle. By reading this full work, the reader, even if otherwise unfamiliar with these giants, will start to see why Plato is important. While challenging in content, it's a fun read because the manner of speaking is often ironic and informal, as if the men are enjoying an after dinner discussion while downing a few brandies. In the translator's preface, we find out that this book, as a "dialogue", is recounted by Plato as a conversation between Socrates and others, and not simply as a report by Plato of what Socrates told him. The reader sees that what is seemingly obvious is really a millennia-old strategy developed for readability. This information serves more than to inform technically, by reminding the reader of the good luck to have this record, despite time's passage which has lost many classical works. In the introduction, we learn of Plato's family background and early life: his familiarity with local politics, and his distaste for the political life partly due to the execution in 399 BCE of his mentor, Socrates. This background helps frame and inspire the philosophical quest of The Republic, to find out and explain how one should live in order to be happy. Particularly, Socrates investigates whether it is better to be "just," or to gain the advantages of being immoral while also taking advantage of a reputation for being moral. Sections of the introduction that outline the Republic's thesis, and that summarize Plato's ideas (e.g., of forms) provide general knowledge and also help guide us through the text's often indirect arguments. Much of the discussion between Socrates and the others, usually Plato's brothers, is about a "kallipolis," or beautiful city. This is a city-state that would be ruled, protected, and supported, by the best-suited individuals, in both native ability and training: gold, silver, and bronze. Readers will vary in their agreement with Plato's ideas (e.g., infanticide of the unfit, and telling only favorable stories about the gods) and assumptions, such as the superiority of homogeneity over variety. I found my enjoyment of these points to be as much in the manner of speaking between the men - irony and sarcasm among lofty topics - as on finding convincing or insightful arguments, though these are also made. The modern reader may too easily be tempted to smugness, and then remember more recent superstitions supporting religious, racial, and gender bias. The men discuss ideas that have shone through the ages, and are worth our reflection in daily life. For example, in Book 2, imagine that there are different kinds of lies, some useful and essentially good, and some evil. Are we ever misled for our own good? For the support of a war to protect national interests that we may otherwise not accept, or so we have confidence in our large financial institutions? Plato envisioned situations like these and identified them as merely lies in words, and thus not as evil. Lies that are evil are "true lies" that can lead someone truly away from goodness. As another example, in Book 7, the men consider whether it is ever too soon for a person to learn argumentation because without wisdom, he will become attached to disputation. In this respect, do we ever win only for the sake of winning, regardless of the truth of our contention? Or, have you ever asked anyone if they've lived in a cave, such as a cave of ignorance? Remembering your first job, and feeling the need to get along with a social clique, was it ever necessary to understand the views of those who saw only shadows against a wall? It's all here, in Book 7, dramatized, including the initial ache of discovery and the criticism by the cave-dwellers of those who have escaped seeing only the shadows. And what about the "body politic"? Is this just a convenient media phrase? Books 8 and 9 discuss various forms of government - e.g., oligarchy, democracy, and tyranny - and how they evolve from one to the other. They describe the sort of individual that embodies each of them. So, while perhaps a cute metaphor, it is one that originated among the ancients. This edition contains other sections: a select bibliography, a synopsis for each of the ten books, a glossary of terms, a glossary and index of names, and a general index. The many footnotes provide either explanation (e.g., a reference to another classical work) or a text reference as identified in the column. In addition to the drama of the ideas, and the privilege of learning at the knee of a giant, there is a lot of help here for the ambitious reader.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Nice book, great for college
*by L***Y on September 24, 2025*

Perfect for my intro to philosophy class

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Good for the Teacher and the Beginner
*by B***E on May 16, 2016*

After reading through and teaching from the older Benjamin Jowett translation, I found this work to be much easier to follow and more useful. The next time I teach Plato's Republic, I plan on using this edition. The glossaries of terms and names are also helpful. I am still very much a novice when it comes to this work, but I did feel that it opened the door for a much better understanding.

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*Last updated: 2026-03-12*