Work · Averroes
Commentary on Plato’s Republic
Averroes revisits Plato’s dialogue to discuss education, virtues and forms of government. His commentary transforms ancient debate in light of political questions of his own time.
Understanding the text
The Arabic original is not preserved; the text is transmitted notably through a Hebrew translation and later translations.
Key points
- 01
Education
Forming citizens involves habits, discourse and institutions.
- 02
Virtues
Political life connects individual qualities with collective organization.
- 03
Regimes
Analysis of changing cities reveals risks of domination.
How to read it
Distinguish Plato’s arguments, Averroes’ interpretation and the history of translations.
Editions & sources
Summaries and key points are original editorial interpretations. They accompany reading the work and do not replace an edition of the text. Editorial method ↗