Plato's Republic Quotes:

Paraphrasing Plato's Republic: "Only people who have allowed themselves to be reformed by reality have it in themselves to reform their polis for the better."

- Rebecca Goldstein

topic: Plato, Reality, People, Plato S, Plato's Republic

I am Plato's Republic. Mr. Simmons is Marcus. I want you to meet Jonathan Swift, the author of that evil political book, Gulliver's Travels! And this other fellow is Charles Darwin, and-this one is Schopenhauer, and this one is Einstein, and this one here at my elbow is Mr. Albert Schweitzer, a very kind philosopher indeed. Here we all are, Montag. Aristophanes and Mahatma Gandhi and Gautama Buddha and Confucius and Thomas Love Peacock and Thomas Jefferson and Mr. Lincoln, if you please. We are also Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.

- Ray Bradbury

topic: Plato, Book, Evil, Plato S, Gulliver

While wading through the whimsies, the puerilities, and unintelligible jargon of this work [Plato's Republic], I laid it down often to ask myself how it could have been that the world should have so long consented to give reputation to such nonsense as this?

- Thomas Jefferson

source: Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoirs, Correspondence, and Private Papers of Thomas Jefferson: Late President of the United States”, p.248

topic: Plato, Philosophy, Science, Plato's Republic, Whimsy

Do what nature now requires. Set thyself in motion, if it is in thy power, and do not look about thee to see if any one will observe it; nor yet expect Plato's Republic: but be content if the smallest thing goes on well, and consider such an event to be no small matter.

- Marcus Aurelius

source: Marcus Aurelius (2016). “Meditations”, p.66, Enhanced Media Publishing

topic: Plato, Events, Looks, Plato S, Plato's Republic

When I was 15 years old, or 16, I carried around on the streets of Brooklyn a paperback copy of Plato's Republic, front cover facing outward. I had read only some of it and understood less, but I was excited by it and knew it was something wonderful.

- Robert Nozick

topic: Plato, Years, Brooklyn, Plato S, Plato's Republic

That Plato's Republic should have been admired, on its political side, by decent people, is perhaps the most astonishing example of literary snobbery in all history.

- Bertrand Russell

source: Bertrand Russell (2009). “The Basic Writings of Bertrand Russell”, p.436, Routledge

topic: Plato, Should Have, People, Plato S, Snobbery

In Plato's republic, poets were considered subversive, a danger to the republic. I kind of relish that role. So I see my present role as a gadfly, to use my soapbox to promote my various ideas and obsesions.

- Lawrence Ferlinghetti

topic: Plato, Ideas, Republic, Plato S, Soapbox