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Guided edition

The Republic

by Plato

A foundational conversation about justice, education, government and the kind of life worth choosing.

Written c. 375 BCE 55 guided readings Named English edition Read at your own pace
Read the first section freeView source record

The book stays at the centre.

Read the source first. Use the guide when the language slows you down.

Original text first

Read the author's own words in a calm, focused layout.

Guidance in plain English

Get help with difficult language, context and argument.

Key takeaways for every chapter

Finish each chapter with the ideas worth carrying forward.

Inside this edition

Read it in the order it was written.

Each reading keeps the source, context, explanation and takeaways together.

Book I

01
Book I. From festival to first definitionOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Open
02
Book I. Helping friends, harming enemiesOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
03
Book I. Power, law, and errorOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
04
Book I. Art, payment, and ruleOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
05
Book I. Justice, rule and harmonyOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
06
Book I. From disorder to the soul's excellenceOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

BOOK II

07
BOOK II. Glaucon restarts the challengeOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
08
BOOK II. Reputation and concealed viceOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
09
BOOK II. Reputation gives way to soulOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
10
BOOK II. Luxury makes war necessaryOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
11
BOOK II. Poetry enters the censor's houseOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
12
BOOK II. Truth, lie, and divine fixityOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

BOOK III

13
BOOK III. Death, courage, and poetic controlOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
14
BOOK III. Narration becomes imitationOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
15
BOOK III. Song, harmony, and rhythmOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
16
BOOK III. Art as moral weatherOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
17
BOOK III. Selecting the rulersOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
18
BOOK III. Guardians without propertyOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

BOOK IV

19
BOOK IV. Defending the guardiansOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
20
BOOK IV. Education and first virtuesOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
21
BOOK IV. Temperance and justice foundOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
22
BOOK IV. Three parts in the soulOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
23
BOOK IV. Justice and vice definedOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

BOOK V

24
BOOK V. Women and common lifeOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
25
BOOK V. Women as guardiansOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
26
BOOK V. Controlled breeding schemeOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
27
BOOK V. Unity through common lifeOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
28
BOOK V. Greek war becomes civic restraintOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
29
BOOK V. Opinion is not knowledgeOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
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BOOK VI

30
BOOK VI. The philosopher as guardianOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
31
BOOK VI. Why philosophy is misusedOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
32
BOOK VI. How philosophy is ruinedOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
33
BOOK VI. Philosophers and the perfect stateOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
34
BOOK VI. The sun and the goodOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
35
BOOK VI. From hypotheses to first principlesOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

BOOK VII

36
BOOK VII. Turning the soul towards truthOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
37
BOOK VII. Common good to arithmeticOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
38
BOOK VII. Number as a ladder to beingOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
39
BOOK VII. From studies to dialecticOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
40
BOOK VII. Testing the philosopher rulersOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
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BOOK VIII

41
BOOK VIII. From timocracy to oligarchyOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
42
BOOK VIII. From honour to wealthOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
43
BOOK VIII. Oligarchy and democracyOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
44
BOOK VIII. From democratic youth to tyrannyOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
45
BOOK VIII. The tyrant's rise and dependenceOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

BOOK IX

46
BOOK IX. The tyrant's soul and miseryOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
47
BOOK IX. Tyranny's misery and true pleasureOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
48
BOOK IX. Measuring true pleasureOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
49
BOOK IX. From pleasure to inner ruleOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

BOOK X

50
BOOK X. Poetry judged by truthOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
51
BOOK X. From imitation to psychic disorderOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
52
BOOK X. Poetry's lure and the soul's proofOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
53
BOOK X. Justice restored and enlargedOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
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54
BOOK X. Judgement and the lotOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library
55
BOOK X. Forgetfulness and returnOriginal source, plain English guide and key takeaways
Library

Source and edition are always named.

Benjamin Jowett translation, 1892. The Ancient Knowledge Club guide is original and kept separate from the source text.