PHL/CNE 370 Review Guide for Plato Exam #2
Republic, Books I through X
Book I
1. What do the Greek terms polis, polites, politeia, dikaiosyne,
techne mean?
2. Who are the main dramatic characters in the Republic and what are their family
relations?
3. Who is Bendis and where is she from? Describe four features of
the cult of Bendis. (lecture)
4. What was happening in Athens when the festival of Bendis was inaugurated in Athens in
429 BCE? (lecture)
5. What does Cephalus say the majority (“the many”) of his fellow elders complain about?
(329a) What is Cephalus’ view about their complaint? (329c)
6. Why does Cephalus find his old age only “moderately onerous”? (329d-e)
7. What does Cephalus say wealth can help save him from having to do? (331a-b)
8. Given the dramatic action at the beginning of this Book, what does Polemarchus
represent and how is this significant in his little exchange with Socrates?
9. How does Simonides define justice, according to Polemarchus? (331e)
10. Describe Thrasymachus’ conception of justice. How does he define justice at
338c?
11. What three characteristics of justice does Socrates stipulate (but
not argue for) at 335c, 339b, and 351a?
Book II
1. Describe the story of the Ring of Gyges (359c-360b). Explain its significance
in Republic II, e.g., explain the common view reported by Glaucon that seeming
just and being unjust is best, while seeming
unjust and being just is worst.
2. Why does the discussion of what makes justice by itself good and injustice by
itself bad turn to the description of an ideal city? (368d-369a)
3. Explain how the city of utmost necessity comes into being (369b-371e).
4. What is the explanation given for the origin of war? (373d-e)
5. Describe how the guardian of the city is like a noble dog (376b).
6. In describing the education of the young in Callipolis, why does Socrates think the
tales of Homer and Hesiod must be CENSORED?
7. Describe the two models concerning speeches about the gods that are
presented (380c & 383a; cf. 391d-e).
Book III
1. What strengthens the courage of the young guardians? What stories will they not
hear? (386a-387c)
2. What does “a decent man” think about death? (387d)
3. What are the (two) most important aspects of moderation for the majority of people?
(389d-e)
4. What do the guardians think about lamentation and wild laughter?
5. What is the truth about imitation? (394e)
6. How are the people who are chronically afflicted with illness treated and why?
(407d-410a)
7. What trains the spirited part of the guardians' souls to be courageous and tough?
What balances that training so that their souls will be tame and orderly? (411-412)
8. What do the guardians believe is advantageous to himself? (412d)
9. Describe the NOBLE FALSEHOOD (the Phoenician story: the myth of the
metals). Why is it needed in Callipolis? (414b- 415c)
10. What are the three different classes of citizens in Callipolis? How is
each paid? Who owns what? How is each class kept “pure”?
Book IV
1. What is the aim in establishing the city?
(420b-c)
2. What two things will the guardians guard against? (422a)
3. Where in the city of Callipolis is the wisdom to be found?
(428d-429a)
4. Where in the city is the courage to be found? (430b)
5. What does the
moderation of the city consist in? (432a)
6. How is justice defined at 433a-b?
7. How is justice defined at 433e-434a?
8. What does the justice of the city consist in? (434c)
9. Describe how the 3 classes of citizens correspond to 3 parts of the human
soul. What is the function of each psychic part? (436a ff.)
10. Describe what justice is for the individual person (433d).
11. Explain what justice for the SOUL is (444d).
Book V
1. What reason does
Socrates give for stating that having the men and women guardians train naked
together is NOT shameful and ridiculous? (452d)
2. What are the
Three Waves described in Book V? Why
was the First Wave such a radical idea in Plato’s time? Why is state-regulated eugenics useful as part of
the Second Wave?
3. What is said to be “the cause of the greatest good for our city”?
(464b)
4.
Why is it
unnecessary for Socrates to prove that the city he describes is possible?
(472d-e)
5. Which of the citizens own the private land, houses, and other non-food
possessions?
6. Describe in detail the Third Wave (473c–e). Why is this the biggest Wave?
7. Who does philosophy in Callipolis and why do they do philosophy? (474b-c)
8.
Book VI
1. What is the true
philosopher’s reason for not considering human life to be so great? (486a-b)
2.
Contrast
the “wisdom” of the sophists with the beliefs of the many and the real wisdom of
the philosophers (493–494 and 500).
3.
4.
5.
Book VII
1.
Describe the Allegory
of the Cave; explain what it means.
2. Why must the philosophers return to the cave? Who
must rule the city and why? (519–520)
3. Explain the
example of the Three Fingers (523b–524a).
What does this example illustrate?
4. What is the 6-stage
curriculum of study of the philosopher-guardian-rulers? How does each subject of study teach the
philosopher-guardians to ascend the Divided Line?
5. Why is the ability to give an account so important? (531e)
6. What does the
person who has mastered dialectic grasp? (534b)
7. Why is a
“unified vision” (i.e. a synopsis) so important? (537b-c)
Book VIII
1. Present from best to worst the Five Types of Constitution and how they
correspond to five types of human character (soul).
2. What features does a democracy have? What kinds of pleasures does the
democratic-souled man enjoy? What is his life like? (558–561)
3. What does Socrates say about variety at 557c?
Book IX
1. Describe the traits of
the tyrannic-souled man (573c).
2. How is “a real tyrant” described at 579d-e?
3. How does Socrates argue for the conclusion that the best and most just man is the
happiest? (580b–586e)
4. How do the 3 parts of the soul correspond to the 3 kinds of
desire/pleasure, and the three basic types of life?
5. What are the three
criteria of fine judging which the wisdom-lover excels in?
6. Reconstruct The
Argument that the Wisdom-Lover’s Life is the Best (581c–583a).
7. Describe The Argument from the Theory of Pleasure (585d
8. What does Socrates say is best for each thing? (586e)
9. Where does Socrates say Callipolis does not exist and where may it exist? (592b)
Book X
1.
Explain Socrates’
criticisms of imitation and imitative poetry. Why does he think that imitation is a kind of
game? (602b)
2. Explain Socrates’
account of the maker, the user, and the imitator
of each instrument (or tool).
3. What is the
contrast Socrates draws between measuring, counting, and
weighing on the one hand, and imitating on the other?
(603)
4. What is the
only poetry to be admitted into Callipolis? (607a)
5.
6. Describe the
tale of Er (614–621).
What other dialogues did Plato write besides the ones we study in this course?
Copyright © 2012 William O. Stephens