The Republic — Page 13
Now in ancient writings, and indeed in literature generally, there remains often a large element which was not comprehended in the original design.
Ahora bien, en los escritos antiguos, y de hecho en la literatura en general, suele quedar un amplio elemento que no estaba contemplado en el diseño original.
For the plan grows under the author's hand; new thoughts occur to him in the act of writing; he has not worked out the argument to the end before he begins.
Pues el plan crece bajo la mano del autor; nuevos pensamientos le surgen en el acto de escribir; no ha desarrollado el argumento hasta el final antes de comenzar.
The reader who seeks to find some one idea under which the whole may be conceived, must necessarily seize on the vaguest and most general.
El lector que busca encontrar una sola idea bajo la cual pueda concebirse el conjunto debe necesariamente aferrarse a la más vaga y general.
Thus Stallbaum, who is dissatisfied with the ordinary explanations of the argument of the Republic, imagines himself to have found the true argument 'in the representation of human life in a State perfected by justice, and governed according to the idea of good.'
Así, Stallbaum, que no está satisfecho con las explicaciones ordinarias del argumento de la República, cree haber encontrado el verdadero argumento «en la representación de la vida humana en un Estado perfeccionado por la justicia y gobernado conforme a la idea del bien».
There may be some use in such general descriptions, but they can hardly be said to express the design of the writer.
Puede que tales descripciones generales tengan alguna utilidad, pero difícilmente puede decirse que expresen el propósito del escritor.
The truth is, that we may as well speak of many designs as of one; nor need anything be excluded from the plan of a great work to which the mind is naturally led by the association of ideas, and which does not interfere with the general purpose.
La verdad es que podemos hablar de muchos propósitos tan bien como de uno solo; ni tampoco es necesario excluir del plan de una gran obra aquello a lo que la mente es conducida naturalmente por la asociación de ideas y que no interfiere con el propósito general.
What kind or degree of unity is to be sought after in a building, in the plastic arts, in poetry, in prose, is a problem which has to be determined relatively to the subject-matter.
Qué tipo o grado de unidad debe buscarse en un edificio, en las artes plásticas, en la poesía, en la prosa, es un problema que ha de determinarse en relación con el tema tratado.
Vocabulary
- Ahora
- Now; at the present time
- bien
- Well; good; properly
- en
- In; on; at
- los
- The (plural masculine article)
- escritos
- Writings; written works; documents
- antiguos
- Ancient; old; from long ago
- de
- Of; from; about
- hecho
- Fact; deed; in fact
- la
- The (singular feminine article)
- literatura
- Literature; written works and writings
- general
- General; broad; overall
- suele
- Usually; tends to; is accustomed to
- quedar
- To remain; to be left; to stay
- un
- A; an (masculine singular)
- amplio
- Ample; broad; wide; spacious
- elemento
- Element; component; part
- que
- That; which; what; who
- no
- No; not
- estaba
- Was; used to be
- contemplado
- Contemplated; considered; envisioned
- el
- The (singular masculine article)
- diseño
- Design; plan; sketch
- original
- Original; first; initial
- Pues
- Well then; since; therefore
- plan
- Plan; scheme; design
- crece
- Grows; increases; develops
- bajo
- Under; below; low
- mano
- Hand; control; management
- autor
- Author; writer; creator
- nuevos
- New; fresh; novel
- pensamientos
- Thoughts; ideas; reflections
- le
- Him; her; you (indirect object)
- surgen
- Arise; emerge; come up
- acto
- Act; action; moment
- escribir
- To write; to compose
- ha
- Has; have (auxiliary verb)
- desarrollado
- Developed; unfolded; elaborated
- argumento
- Argument; plot; storyline
- hasta
- Until; up to; even
- final
- Final; end; conclusion
- antes
- Before; previously; earlier
- comenzar
- To begin; to start; to commence
- El
- The (singular masculine article)
- lector
- Reader; one who reads
- busca
- Searches; seeks; looks for
- encontrar
- To find; to discover; to encounter
- una
- A; an (feminine singular)
- sola
- Only; sole; single
- idea
- Idea; thought; concept
- cual
- Which; what; that which
- pueda
- May; might; can (subjunctive)
- conjunto
- Together; as a whole; set
- debe
- Must; should; owes
- necesariamente
- Necessarily; inevitably; must
- aferrarse
- To cling to; to hold fast
- más
- More; most; plus
- vaga
- Vague; indefinite; hazy
- Así
- Thus; so; in this way
- está
- Is; am; are (present)
- satisfecho
- Satisfied; content; pleased
- con
- With; alongside; in addition to
- las
- The (plural feminine article)
- explicaciones
- Explanations; clarifications; accounts
- ordinarias
- Ordinary; common; usual
- República
- Republic; Plato's Republic dialogue
- cree
- Believes; thinks; supposes
- haber
- To have; auxiliary verb
- encontrado
- Found; discovered; encountered
- verdadero
- True; real; genuine
- representación
- Representation; depiction; portrayal
- vida
- Life; living; existence
- humana
- Human; of humans
- Estado
- State; condition; status
- perfeccionado
- Perfected; made perfect; improved
- por
- By; through; for
- justicia
- Justice; fairness; righteousness
- gobernado
- Governed; ruled; administered
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