Plato The Republic (Cambridge, Tom Griffith)

Cambridge Texts in the History of Political Thought

• Series Editors:

  • Raymond Geuss: Professor of Philosophy, University of Cambridge

  • Quentin Skinner: Professor of the Humanities, Queen Mary, University of London

• Purpose of the Series:

  • Established as a major student textbook series in political theory.

  • Aims to provide important texts in the evolution of western political thought, spanning from ancient Greece to the early twentieth century.

  • Includes classic texts and lesser-known works, many newly available in modern English.

• Features of Each Volume:

  • Critical introduction, chronologies, biographical sketches.

  • Guide to further reading, glossaries, and textual apparatus.

• Goal of the Series:

  • To outline the complete evolution of western political thought.

  • A list of titles published is included at the end of the book.

Plato's The Republic

• Edition Information:

  • Edited by G. R. F. Ferrari, University of California, Berkeley.

  • Translated by Tom Griffith.

• Publication Details:

  • Published by Cambridge University Press in 2000, 3rd printing in 2018.

  • Academic dissemination of knowledge in education and research.

Translators and Editors

Translator's Preface

• Reason for Translation:

  • Aims to capture the conversational essence of Plato’s dialogues.

  • Addresses the limitations of previous translations which often lacked conversational reality.

• Translation Challenges:

  • Balancing the translation demands while ensuring readability and conversational flow.

  • Collaborative effort with John Ferrari for accuracy and scholarly guidance.

Editor's Preface

• Editor’s Perspective:

  • Initial reluctance to translate due to the complexities and expectations.

  • Inspiration drawn from Tom Griffith’s translation of Plato's Symposium.

• Collaboration with the Translator:

  • Close editorial collaboration focused on maintaining fidelity to the original text while ensuring clarity.

  • Contribution of ancillary materials such as notes, editor’s introduction, which benefited from the translator's input.