The classic translation of the cornerstone work of western philosophyPlato's Republic is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential works in the history of philosophy.Presented in the form of a dialogue between Socrates and three different interlocutors, it is an inquiry into the notion of a perfect community and the ideal individual within it.During the conversation other questions are raised: what is goodness; what is reality; what is knowledge; what is the purpose of education?With remarkable lucidity and deft use of allegory, Plato arrives at a depiction of a state bound by harmony and ruled by 'philosopher kings'.Translated by DESMOND LEE with an Introduction by MELISSA LANE