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The Republic — Page 9

English → It INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Level 9/10

Or a more general division into two parts may be adopted; the first (Books I - IV) containing the description of a State framed generally in accordance with Hellenic notions of religion and morality, while in the second (Books V - X) the Hellenic State is transformed into an ideal kingdom of philosophy, of which all other governments are the perversions.

Oppure si può adottare una divisione più generale in due parti; la prima (Libri I - IV) contenente la descrizione di uno Stato concepito generalmente in conformità con le nozioni elleniche di religione e moralità, mentre nella seconda (Libri V - X) lo Stato ellenico viene trasformato in un regno ideale della filosofia, di cui tutti gli altri governi sono le perversioni.

These two points of view are really opposed, and the opposition is only veiled by the genius of Plato.

Questi due punti di vista sono realmente opposti, e l'opposizione è velata soltanto dal genio di Platone.

The Republic, like the Phaedrus (see Introduction to Phaedrus), is an imperfect whole; the higher light of philosophy breaks through the regularity of the Hellenic temple, which at last fades away into the heavens.

La Repubblica, come il Fedro (vedi Introduzione al Fedro), è un insieme imperfetto; la luce superiore della filosofia penetra attraverso la regolarità del tempio ellenico, che alla fine si dissolve nei cieli.

Whether this imperfection of structure arises from an enlargement of the plan; or from the imperfect reconcilement in the writer's own mind of the struggling elements of thought which are now first brought together by him; or, perhaps, from the composition of the work at different times—are questions, like the similar question about the Iliad and the Odyssey, which are worth asking, but which cannot have a distinct answer.

Se questa imperfezione di struttura derivi da un ampliamento del piano; o dalla riconciliazione imperfetta nella mente stessa dello scrittore degli elementi contrastanti del pensiero che vengono ora riuniti per la prima volta da lui; o, forse, dalla composizione dell'opera in momenti diversi — sono domande, come la simile domanda sull'Iliade e l'Odissea, che vale la pena porre, ma che non possono avere una risposta precisa.

In the age of Plato there was no regular mode of publication, and an author would have the less scruple in altering or adding to a work which was known only to a few of his friends.

Nell'età di Platone non esisteva un modo regolare di pubblicazione, e un autore avrebbe avuto meno scrupoli nell'alterare o nell'aggiungere a un'opera che era nota soltanto a pochi dei suoi amici.

Vocabulary

Oppure
op-PU-re — Or else; used to present an alternative option
si
si — Reflexive or impersonal pronoun meaning oneself or one
può
pwò — Third person singular of potere; can or is able to
adottare
a-dot-TA-re — To adopt or take on a method or approach
una
U-na — Indefinite article feminine singular meaning a or an
divisione
di-vi-ZION-e — Division or separation into distinct parts or groups
più
pyù — More; used for comparisons or greater degree
generale
ge-ne-RA-le — General; broad or not specific in scope
in
in — Preposition meaning in or into
due
DU-e — The number two
parti
PAR-ti — Parts or sections of a whole
la
la — Definite article feminine singular meaning the
prima
PRI-ma — First; preceding all others in order
Libri
LI-bri — Books; plural of libro, referring to volumes
I
i — Roman numeral one or masculine plural definite article
contenente
con-te-NEN-te — Containing; holding within its scope or pages
descrizione
de-skri-ZION-e — Description; a detailed account of something
di
di — Of or from; common Italian preposition
uno
U-no — Indefinite article masculine singular meaning a or one
Stato
STA-to — State; a political entity or government body
concepito
con-ce-PI-to — Conceived or imagined; past participle of concepire
generalmente
ge-ne-ral-MEN-te — Generally; in a broad or usual manner
conformità
con-for-mi-TÀ — Conformity; agreement or compliance with standards
con
con — With; preposition indicating accompaniment or means
le
le — Definite article feminine plural meaning the
nozioni
no-ZION-i — Notions or concepts; basic ideas about a subject
elleniche
el-LE-ni-ke — Hellenic or Greek; relating to ancient Greek culture
religione
re-li-GION-e — Religion; system of spiritual beliefs and practices
e
e — And; coordinating conjunction joining words or clauses
moralità
mo-ra-li-TÀ — Morality; principles distinguishing right from wrong
mentre
MEN-tre — While or whereas; introduces a contrasting clause
nella
NEL-la — In the; contraction of in and la
seconda
se-CON-da — Second; the ordinal number following first
lo
lo — Definite article masculine singular before certain consonants
ellenico
el-LE-ni-co — Hellenic; pertaining to ancient Greek civilization
viene
VIEN-e — Comes; third person singular of venire
trasformato
tras-for-MA-to — Transformed; changed into a different form
un
un — Indefinite article masculine singular meaning a or an
regno
RE-ño — Kingdom or realm; a domain ruled by a monarch
ideale
i-de-A-le — Ideal; a perfect or perfect standard to aspire to
della
DEL-la — Of the; contraction of di and la
filosofia
fi-lo-so-FI-a — Philosophy; study of fundamental questions about existence
cui
ku-i — Whose or which; relative pronoun in Italian
tutti
TUT-ti — All or everyone; inclusive of the whole group
gli
ʎi — Definite article masculine plural before vowels or special consonants
altri
AL-tri — Others; the remaining ones in a group
governi
go-VER-ni — Governments; bodies that rule or administer states
sono
SO-no — Are; third person plural of essere
perversioni
per-ver-ZION-i — Perversions; corrupt or distorted forms of something
Questi
QUE-sti — These; demonstrative pronoun referring to nearby things
punti
PUN-ti — Points or aspects; specific matters under consideration
vista
VI-sta — View or viewpoint; perspective on a topic
realmente
re-al-MEN-te — Really or truly; in an actual or genuine manner
opposti
op-PO-sti — Opposite; contrary or in direct contrast to each other
l'
l — Elided definite article before a vowel sound
opposizione
op-po-zi-ZION-e — Opposition; contrast or conflict between two forces
è
è — Is; third person singular of essere
velata
ve-LA-ta — Veiled or concealed; hidden behind something subtle
soltanto
sol-TAN-to — Only; nothing more than what is specified
dal
dal — From the; contraction of da and il
genio
GE-nio — Genius; exceptional intellectual or creative ability
La
la — Definite article feminine singular meaning the
Repubblica
re-pub-BLI-ca — Republic; a state governed without a monarchy
come
CO-me — Like or as; used for comparisons
il
il — Definite article masculine singular meaning the
vedi
VE-di — See; imperative of vedere, directing attention elsewhere
Introduzione
in-tro-du-ZION-e — Introduction; opening section of a text or speech
al
al — To the; contraction of a and il
insieme
in-SIE-me — Together or as a whole; collectively unified
imperfetto
im-per-FET-to — Imperfect; incomplete or flawed in some way
luce
LU-ce — Light; illumination or radiant energy
superiore
su-pe-RIOR-e — Superior; higher in quality, rank, or degree
penetra
pe-NE-tra — Penetrates; passes through or enters deeply
attraverso
at-tra-VER-so — Through or across; from one side to another
regolarità
re-go-la-ri-TÀ — Regularity; the quality of being consistent or orderly
del
del — Of the; contraction of di and il
tempio
TEM-pio — Temple; a sacred building for worship or ritual
che
ke — That or which; relative pronoun or conjunction
alla
AL-la — To the; contraction of a and la
fine
FI-ne — End; conclusion or final point of something
dissolve
dis-SOL-ve — Dissolves; breaks apart or fades into something
nei
nei — In the; contraction of in and i
cieli
CIE-li — Skies or heavens; plural of cielo
Se
se — If; conditional conjunction introducing a hypothesis
questa
QUE-sta — This; feminine demonstrative adjective or pronoun
imperfezione
im-per-fe-ZION-e — Imperfection; a flaw or deficiency in something
struttura
strut-TU-ra — Structure; the arrangement or organization of parts
derivi
de-RI-vi — Derives or stems from; originates from a source
da
da — From or by; preposition indicating origin or agent
ampliamento
am-plia-MEN-to — Enlargement or expansion; the act of broadening scope
piano
PIA-no — Plan or design; a scheme or flat surface
o
o — Or; disjunctive conjunction presenting alternatives
dalla
DAL-la — From the; contraction of da and la
riconciliazione
ri-con-ci-lia-ZION-e — Reconciliation; restoring harmony between conflicting elements
imperfetta
im-per-FET-ta — Imperfect feminine; incomplete or flawed in nature
mente
MEN-te — Mind; the intellectual and cognitive faculty of thinking
stessa
STES-sa — Same or herself; used for emphasis or identity
dello
DEL-lo — Of the; contraction of di and lo
scrittore
scrit-TO-re — Writer or author; one who writes literary works
degli
DE-ʎi — Of the; contraction of di and gli
elementi
e-le-MEN-ti — Elements; fundamental components or building blocks
contrastanti
con-tra-STAN-ti — Contrasting; conflicting or in opposition to each other
pensiero
pen-SIER-o — Thought or thinking; an idea formed in the mind
vengono
VEN-go-no — Come or are; third person plural of venire
ora
O-ra — Now; at the present moment in time
riuniti
riu-NI-ti — Reunited or brought together; assembled as one group
per
per — For or through; preposition indicating purpose or means
volta
VOL-ta — Time or turn; an instance of an occurrence
lui
lu-i — He or him; third person masculine singular pronoun
forse
FOR-se — Perhaps or maybe; expressing uncertainty or possibility
composizione
com-po-zi-ZION-e — Composition; the act of creating or arranging a work
dell'
del — Of the; elided contraction of di and lo or la
opera
O-pe-ra — Work; a literary, musical, or artistic creation
momenti
mo-MEN-ti — Moments; brief periods or points in time
diversi
di-VER-si — Various or different; not the same, multiple kinds
domande
do-MAN-de — Questions; requests for information or answers
simile
SI-mi-le — Similar; resembling or alike in some way
domanda
do-MAN-da — Question; a query or request for information
sull'
sul — On the; elided contraction of su and la or lo
vale
VA-le — Is worth; third person singular of valere
pena
PE-na — Worth or trouble; vale la pena means worth it
porre
POR-re — To pose or put; to raise a question or issue
ma
ma — But; adversative conjunction introducing a contrast
non
non — Not; negation particle in Italian
possono
POS-so-no — Can or are able to; third person plural of potere
avere
a-VE-re — To have; infinitive of the auxiliary verb avere
risposta
ri-SPO-sta — Answer or response; a reply to a question posed
precisa
pre-CI-sa — Precise or exact; accurate and clearly defined
Nell'
nel — In the; elided contraction of in and la or lo
età
e-TÀ — Age or era; a period of time or one's age
esisteva
e-si-STE-va — Existed; imperfect tense of esistere meaning to exist
modo
MO-do — Way or manner; a method of doing something
regolare
re-go-LA-re — Regular; consistent, orderly, or standard in nature
pubblicazione
pub-bli-ca-ZION-e — Publication; the act of issuing a written work publicly
autore
au-TO-re — Author; a person who writes a text or work
avrebbe
a-VREB-be — Would have; conditional of avere indicating possibility
avuto
a-VU-to — Had; past participle of avere meaning to have
meno
ME-no — Less; a smaller amount or degree of something
scrupoli
SCRU-po-li — Scruples; moral hesitations or concerns about actions
nell'
nel — In the; elided form of nella before a vowel
alterare
al-te-RA-re — To alter or change; to modify an existing text
aggiungere
ad-DJUN-ge-re — To add; to include something additional to a work
a
a — To or at; basic Italian preposition of direction
un'
un — Indefinite article feminine elided before vowel sound
era
E-ra — Era or age; a distinct historical period of time
nota
NO-ta — Known or noted; also a note or musical note
pochi
PO-ki — Few; a small number of people or things
dei
dei — Of the; contraction of di and i
suoi
SUOI — His or her; possessive adjective third person singular
amici
a-MI-ci — Friends; plural of amico, people one is close to
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