The Republic

By: Plato

Narrated by: Bruce Alexander

In The Republic, Plato tackles the big issues of the state and the individual: how the state should be ruled, and by whom; and the way the individual should lead his life - and why. Plato casts Socrates in the role of the leader and teacher in this carefully-reasoned enquiry held in association with the students of his circle. Yet despite the rigor of the argument - the need for a philosopher-king; the need for just behavior by all - the beneficient humanity of Socrates and the poetic imagination of Plato are vividly apparent. The lively quality of the dialogue can be clearly appreciated in this new translation by Tom Griffith.

Download the accompanying reference guide.Public Domain (P)2000 NAXOS AudioBooks Ltd., All Rights Reserved

Well worth the time.

I picked this title on sort of a whim, primarily because of its status as a timeless classic. I was initially skeptical as it represents a marked divergence from the types of audiobooks I am wont to select. Almost to my surprise, I found that I really enjoyed listening to it. I can now appreciate its reputation for provoking thought and reflection.

The narrator did a fine job in his ability to engage the listener, however he did have a tendency to reduce to a whisper that was often difficult to hear.

Philosophy Class

This audio download of Plato's Republic was used as a supplement to the readings I was doing for class. Although it was a slightly different version than my text book, it really helped my understanding of the material a lot. I got an A in the class! I would highly recommend this audio download if you are required to read this for a course.

One of the best book ever written! Period.

The audiobook is beautifully narrated by Bruce Alexander and respects the original ancient Greek version. Plato himself would have been happy by this interpretation.

Plato's Republic

This nicely priced, excellently read fresh translation contains Plato's preference for a state ruled by a philosopher-king as opposed to a democracy. It also contains his classic pholosophy of ideal truth under the famous analogies of 'the divided line' and the 'cave'. The work concludes with an interesting account of life after death. Socrates shines in this interpretation as Plato's voice.

Well done

Those looking for exposure to Plato will find this abridged version of The Republic a good starting point. The translation is modern and the reader's voice is well suited for the task.