INTRODUCTION metaphor, symbolism, and myth, never bases his argument on them. a The figurative language here, as elsewhere, serves as a transition to, a framework for, an illustration of, the argument. Man is a social and political animal, and nothing but abstract dialectics can come of the attempt to isolate h psychology and ethics from the political and social environment that shapes them. b The question whether the main subject of the Republic is justice or the state is, as Proclus alread effect said. a tion of an ideal state was and actually occupies the larger part of the Republic. But it is ally subordinated I the proof that the just is the happy life. d It is idle to object that it is not true and cannot be proved that righteousness is verifiably h question still interests h discussion of it, whether it does or does not amount to a demonstration, still remains the most instructive and suggestive treatment of the theme in allliterature. There is little profit also in scrutinizing too curiously the unity or lack of unity of design in the Republic, the 2 .C my review of Barker. "Greek Political Theory, "in I. xxix. 1990. p by considering the temper of the C,e.g.. Rep 544 D-E, and infra, p. xxvi. Introduction Proclus cf On Rep p 349INTRODUCTION metaphor, symbolism, and myth, never bases his argument on them." The figurative language here, as elsewhere, serves as a transition to, a framework for, an illustration of, the argument. Man is a social and political animal, and nothing but abstract dialectics can come of the attempt to isolate his psychology and ethics from the political and social environment that shapes them.*" The question whether the main subject of the Republic is justice or the state is, as Proclus already in effect said, a logomachy.'' The construction of an ideal state was a necessary part of Plato's design, and actually occupies the larger part of the Republic. But it is, as he repeatedly tells us, logically subordinated to the proof that the just is the happy life."* It is idle to object that it is not true and cannot be proved that righteousness is verifiably happiness. The question still interests humanity, and Plato's discussion of it, whether it does or does not amount to a demonstration, still remains the most instructive and suggestive treatment of the theme in all literature. There is little profit also in scrutinizing too curiously the unity or lack of unity of design in the Republic, the " Cf. my review of Barker, " Greek Political Theory," in the Philosophical Review, vol. xxix., 1920, p. 86 : " To say (on p. 119) that ' by considering the temper of the watchdog Plato arrives at the principle,' etc., is to make no allowance for Plato's literary art and his humour. Plato never really deduces his conclusions from the figurative analogies which he uses to illustrate them." * Cf., e.g.. Rep. 544 d-e, and infra, p. xxvi. ' Cf. the long discussion of Stallbaum in his Introduction to the Republic, pp. vii-lxv. For Proclus cf. On Rep. p. 349 (ed. of Kroll, p. 5 and p. 11). "* Cf. 352 D, 367 E, 369 a, 427 d, 445 a-b, 576 c, and especially 472 b with 588 b and 612 b