The Republic

Plato

Apr 2001 · Naxos AudioBooks · Narrated by Bruce Alexander

About this audiobook

One of the key works of world philosophy, Plato's The Republic sets out to consider the principles behind an ideal city state. This is the first audio recording of Plato's great classic in a new translation by the Greek scholar Tom Griffith. No sooner than Bruce Alexander had left the studio having recorded Thomas Hardy, he was back at his Oxfordshire home studying hard for the next Naxos AudioBooks project Plato's The Republic. 'There couldn't have been a greater contrast - the deeply emotional Hardy, and the rationalist character of Socrates,' admitted Bruce Alexander. And both are about as far away possible from the character for which he is probably best known, Superintendent Mullett in the British TV series A Touch of Frost. 'That is what being an actor is all about,' declared Alexander. 'The worst thing for us is when are typecast, which can happen so easily.' Fortunately, this happens less the Audiobook/radio medium than on or film where visual concerns can be paramount.' This recording of The Republic uses the new translation by Tom Griffith, who prepared it for Cambridge University Press. It will be released by CUP in the near future, but is 'previewed' by this abridgement made by the translator himself. 'I started translating because I found that when I was teaching, and read from existing translations, I could see the interest fade from my pupils' eyes, explained Griffith. 'But I know this can capture the imagination and thoughts of young people, and so I started translating passages in language which was as contemporary as the original would have been in the fifth century B. C.' The Republic is one of a number of translations he has now included - among others is Symposium.

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About the author

Plato was born c. 427 B.C. in Athens, Greece, to an aristocratic family very much involved in political government. Pericles, famous ruler of Athens during its golden age, was Plato's stepfather. Plato was well educated and studied under Socrates, with whom he developed a close friendship. When Socrates was publically executed in 399 B.C., Plato finally distanced himself from a career in Athenian politics, instead becoming one of the greatest philosophers of Western civilization. Plato extended Socrates's inquiries to his students, one of the most famous being Aristotle. Plato's The Republic is an enduring work, discussing justice, the importance of education, and the qualities needed for rulers to succeed. Plato felt governors must be philosophers so they may govern wisely and effectively. Plato founded the Academy, an educational institution dedicated to pursuing philosophic truth. The Academy lasted well into the 6th century A.D., and is the model for all western universities. Its formation is along the lines Plato laid out in The Republic. Many of Plato's essays and writings survive to this day. Plato died in 347 B.C. at the age of 80.