The Republic
question
Which edition / translation is the best?
Aleksandra
Oct 13, 2013 01:38PM
Hi! I would like to read "The Republic". I wonder, however which edition to choose. As I noticed during a lecture from philosophy of law, there are different translations which vary significantly in the approach to some terms and therefore may result in differnt understanding.
What edition do you recommend? Thanks.
What edition do you recommend? Thanks.
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You can't go wrong with Allen Bloom's Republic. His translation is consistent and readable, while his footnotes helpfully nudge the reader to remember the subtleties of the original language. I love Plato, especially when reading him in Greek, and Bloom does the text justice.
What about W.H.D. Rouse? I really enjoyed Plato translated by him.
Thank you all for taking the time offering your opinions.
Roberto
Roberto
you better read Benjamin Jowett translation; Bloom's is completely confusing and useless. Bloom's translation is ridicules see example below..
TRANSLATED BY ALLAN BLOOM:
"And in many other places, don't we," I said, "notice that, when desires force someone contrary to calculation, he reproaches himself and his spirit is roused against that in him which is doing the forcing; and, just as though there were two parties at faction, such a man's spirit becomes the ally of speech? But as for its making common cause with the desires to do what speech has declared must not be done, I suppose you'd say you had never noticed anything of the kind happening in yourself, nor, I suppose, in anyone else.
Translated by Benjamin Jowett:
And are there not many other cases in which we observe that when a man's desires violently prevail over his reason, he reviles himself, and is angry at the violence within him, and that in this struggle, which is like the struggle of factions in a State, his spirit is on the side of his reason;—but for the passionate or spirited element to take part with the desires when reason decides that she should not be opposed, is a sort of thing which I believe that you never observed occurring in yourself, nor, as I should imagine, in any one else?
TRANSLATED BY ALLAN BLOOM:
"And in many other places, don't we," I said, "notice that, when desires force someone contrary to calculation, he reproaches himself and his spirit is roused against that in him which is doing the forcing; and, just as though there were two parties at faction, such a man's spirit becomes the ally of speech? But as for its making common cause with the desires to do what speech has declared must not be done, I suppose you'd say you had never noticed anything of the kind happening in yourself, nor, I suppose, in anyone else.
Translated by Benjamin Jowett:
And are there not many other cases in which we observe that when a man's desires violently prevail over his reason, he reviles himself, and is angry at the violence within him, and that in this struggle, which is like the struggle of factions in a State, his spirit is on the side of his reason;—but for the passionate or spirited element to take part with the desires when reason decides that she should not be opposed, is a sort of thing which I believe that you never observed occurring in yourself, nor, as I should imagine, in any one else?
Aleksandra wrote: "Hi! I would like to read "The Republic". I wonder, however which edition to choose. As I noticed during a lecture from philosophy of law, there are different translations which vary significantly i..."
Bloom's translation is phenomenal, though I like the translation by Joe Sachs the best personally.
Bloom's translation is phenomenal, though I like the translation by Joe Sachs the best personally.
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