The Republic — Page 4

English → Spanish INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Level 9/10

We can only guess why the great design was abandoned; perhaps because Plato became sensible of some incongruity in a fictitious history, or because he had lost his interest in it, or because advancing years forbade the completion of it; and we may please ourselves with the fancy that had this imaginary narrative ever been finished, we should have found Plato himself sympathising with the struggle for Hellenic independence (cp. Laws, iii. 698 ff.), singing a hymn of triumph over Marathon and Salamis, perhaps making the reflection of Herodotus (v. 78) where he contemplates the growth of the Athenian empire—'How brave a thing is freedom of speech, which has made the Athenians so far exceed every other state of Hellas in greatness!' or, more probably, attributing the victory to the ancient good order of Athens and to the favor of Apollo and Athene (cp. Introd. to Critias).

Solo podemos conjeturar por qué se abandonó el gran proyecto; quizás porque Platón se percató de cierta incongruencia en una historia ficticia, o porque había perdido su interés en ella, o porque el avance de los años le impidió completarla; y podemos complacernos con la fantasía de que, si esta narrativa imaginaria hubiera sido terminada alguna vez, habríamos encontrado al propio Platón simpatizando con la lucha por la independencia helénica (cp. Leyes, iii. 698 ss.), entonando un himno de triunfo sobre Maratón y Salamina, quizás haciendo la reflexión de Heródoto (v. 78) donde contempla el crecimiento del imperio ateniense: '¡Cuán noble cosa es la libertad de expresión, que ha hecho a los atenienses superar con creces a todo otro estado de Hélade en grandeza!' o, más probablemente, atribuyendo la victoria al antiguo buen orden de Atenas y al favor de Apolo y Atenea (cp. Introd. a Critias).

Again, Plato may be regarded as the 'captain' ('arhchegoz') or leader of a goodly band of followers; for in the Republic is to be found the original of Cicero's De Republica, of St. Augustine's City of God, of the Utopia of Sir Thomas More, and of the numerous other imaginary States which are framed upon the same model.

Asimismo, Platón puede ser considerado el 'capitán' ('arhchegoz') o líder de una destacada banda de seguidores; pues en la República se encuentra el original del De Republica de Cicerón, de La Ciudad de Dios de San Agustín, de la Utopía de Sir Thomas More, y de los numerosos otros Estados imaginarios que están construidos sobre el mismo modelo.

The extent to which Aristotle or the Aristotelian school were indebted to him in the Politics has been little recognised, and the recognition is the more necessary because it is not made by Aristotle himself.

La medida en que Aristóteles o la escuela aristotélica estaban en deuda con él en la Política ha sido poco reconocida, y el reconocimiento es tanto más necesario cuanto que no es realizado por el propio Aristóteles.

Vocabulary

Solo: Only; alone; a single person or thing.
podemos: We can; first person plural of poder.
conjeturar: To conjecture; to guess or infer without proof.
por: For; by; through; indicating cause or reason.
qué: What; which; interrogative or relative pronoun.
se: Reflexive pronoun; oneself; third person singular.
abandonó: He/she abandoned; past tense of abandonar.
el: The; definite article masculine singular.
gran: Great; large; important or distinguished.
proyecto: Project; plan; scheme or undertaking.
quizás: Perhaps; maybe; possibly or perchance.
porque: Because; for the reason that; causal conjunction.
percató: He/she noticed; became aware; past tense.
de: Of; from; preposition indicating possession or origin.
cierta: Certain; sure; feminine form of cierto.
incongruencia: Incongruity; inconsistency; lack of agreement or harmony.
en: In; on; preposition indicating location or position.
una: A; an; feminine indefinite article.
historia: Story; history; narrative account of events.
ficticia: Fictional; made-up; imaginary or invented.
había: Had; past tense of haber; auxiliary verb.
perdido: Lost; past participle of perder.
su: His; her; its; possessive adjective.
interés: Interest; concern; attraction or importance.
ella: She; her; feminine third person pronoun.
avance: Advance; progress; forward movement or development.
los: The; masculine plural definite article.
años: Years; plural of año; period of time.
le: Him; her; indirect object pronoun.
impidió: Prevented; hindered; past tense of impedir.
completarla: To complete it; infinitive with feminine pronoun.
complacernos: To please us; to gratify; infinitive form.
con: With; accompanied by; preposition of association.
la: The; feminine singular definite article.
fantasía: Fantasy; imagination; fanciful or imaginary creation.
que: That; which; relative or subordinate conjunction.
si: If; conditional conjunction or particle.
esta: This; feminine singular demonstrative adjective.
narrativa: Narrative; story; account or tale.
imaginaria: Imaginary; fanciful; not real or actual.
hubiera: Would have; past subjunctive of haber.
sido: Been; past participle of ser.
terminada: Finished; completed; feminine past participle.
alguna: Some; any; feminine indefinite pronoun.
vez: Time; occasion; instance or occurrence.
habríamos: We would have; first person plural conditional.
encontrado: Found; discovered; past participle of encontrar.
al: To the; contraction of a and el.
propio: Own; proper; characteristic or typical.
simpatizando: Sympathizing; empathizing; present participle of simpatizar.
lucha: Struggle; fight; conflict or battle.
independencia: Independence; freedom from control or rule.
helénica: Hellenic; relating to ancient Greece or Greeks.
entonando: Singing; chanting; present participle of entonar.
himno: Hymn; anthem; solemn song or composition.
triunfo: Triumph; victory; success or achievement.
sobre: On; over; above; preposition of position.
haciendo: Making; doing; present participle of hacer.
reflexión: Reflection; thought; consideration or contemplation.
contempla: Contemplates; observes; third person singular form.
crecimiento: Growth; increase; expansion or development.
imperio: Empire; dominion; rule or authority.
ateniense: Athenian; of or relating to Athens.
Cuán: How; how much; interrogative adverb.
noble: Noble; dignified; having high moral qualities.
cosa: Thing; object; something or matter.
es: Is; third person singular of ser.

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