Plato #5 The city founded by Socrates in theory is a completely good city.

Hence “it is wise,

Republic 4 courageous, moderate and just” (Republic 4.427d). Socrates shows where each of
these virtues (wisdom, courage, moderation, and justice) is found in the city in
Phil 201 order to see where it is found in the soul. This leads Socrates to prove that justice
Dr. Tobias Hoffmann is wellbeing for the soul and hence advantageous to the soul even if it remains un-
known, i.e. apart from any exterior rewards (444c–445a).

Virtues Classes in the city Parts of the soul

Wisdom Rulers (complete guardians) Rational part (rational deliberation) Rational
Courage Guardians (auxiliaries, soldiers) Spirited part (anger, disgust etc.)
Irrational
Moderation Craftsmen (farmers, weavers etc.) Appetitive part (hunger, thirst etc.)
and all other people in the city
Justice

The virtues in the city:

Wisdom (= good judgment, knowledge): is represented by the rulers (428a–429a)
Courage (= preserving the belief about what should be feared—as inculcated by the laws—through
pains and fears, pleasures and desires): is represented by soldiers / guardians (429a–430c)
Moderation (= mastery of pleasures and desires): moderation means that the stronger part rules the
weaker part. Moderation spreads through the whole city and is represented by the rulers in-
sofar as they rule and by the others insofar as they are ruled (431a–b)
Justice (= doing one’s own work, having and doing of one’s own): spreads through the whole city,
insofar as everyone practices the occupation in the city for which he is naturally best suited;
“every child, woman, slave, freeman, craftsman, ruler, and ruled each does his own work
and doesn’t meddle with what is other people’s” (432b–434c).
The virtues in the soul:
“The same number and the same kinds of classes Rational part: is wise, and rules the spirited
as are in the city are also in the soul of the indi- part and the appetitive part according to
vidual. … Therefore, it necessarily follows that what is advantageous to each part
the individual is wise in the same way and in the Spirited part: is courageous, obeys the rational
same part of himself as the city. … And isn’t the part, and rules the appetitive part with the
individual courageous in the same way and in the rational part, preserves the declarations of
same part of himself as the city? And isn’t every- reason through pains and pleasures
thing else that has to do with virtue the same in Appetitive part: is moderate; it accepts that
both? … I suppose we’ll say that a man is just in the rational part rules over the appetites.
the same way as a city.” (441c–d) (441e–442d)
The virtue of justice: (443c–e)
“[J]ustice … isn’t concerned with someone’s doing his own externally, but with what is inside him,
with what is truly himself and his own. One who is just does not allow any part of himself to do the
work of another part or allow the various classes within him to meddle with each other. He regulates
well what is really his own and rules himself. He puts himself in order, is his own friend, and harmo-
nizes the three parts of himself … He binds together those parts and any others there may be in be-
tween, and from having been many things he becomes entirely one, moderate and harmonious.”
Injustice:
“[Injustice] must be a kind of civil war between the three parts, a meddling and doing of another’s
work, a rebellion by some part against the whole soul in order to rule it inappropriately.” (444b)
Justice = Virtue: health, well-being of the soul; injustice = vice: disease, weakness (444d–e).
“How can it be worth living [for an unjust man] when his soul … is ruined and in turmoil?” (445b)