The Republic — Page 10

English → It INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Level 9/10

There is no absurdity in supposing that he may have laid his labours aside for a time, or turned from one work to another; and such interruptions would be more likely to occur in the case of a long than of a short writing.

Non vi è alcuna assurdità nel supporre che egli possa aver messo da parte i suoi lavori per un certo tempo, o essersi rivolto da un'opera a un'altra; e tali interruzioni sarebbero più probabili nel caso di uno scritto lungo che di uno breve.

In all attempts to determine the chronological order of the Platonic writings on internal evidence, this uncertainty about any single Dialogue being composed at one time is a disturbing element, which must be admitted to affect longer works, such as the Republic and the Laws, more than shorter ones.

In tutti i tentativi di determinare l'ordine cronologico degli scritti platonici sulla base di prove interne, questa incertezza riguardo al fatto che un singolo Dialogo sia stato composto in un'unica occasione costituisce un elemento perturbatore, che si deve ammettere influisca sulle opere più lunghe, come la Repubblica e le Leggi, più che su quelle più brevi.

But, on the other hand, the seeming discrepancies of the Republic may only arise out of the discordant elements which the philosopher has attempted to unite in a single whole, perhaps without being himself able to recognise the inconsistency which is obvious to us.

Ma, d'altra parte, le apparenti discrepanze della Repubblica potrebbero derivare soltanto dagli elementi discordanti che il filosofo ha tentato di unire in un tutto unico, forse senza essere egli stesso in grado di riconoscere l'incoerenza che è ovvia per noi.

For there is a judgment of after ages which few great writers have ever been able to anticipate for themselves.

Poiché esiste un giudizio delle epoche successive che pochi grandi scrittori sono mai stati in grado di anticipare per se stessi.

They do not perceive the want of connexion in their own writings, or the gaps in their systems which are visible enough to those who come after them.

Essi non percepiscono la mancanza di connessione nei propri scritti, né le lacune nei loro sistemi che sono abbastanza visibili a coloro che vengono dopo di loro.

In the beginnings of literature and philosophy, amid the first efforts of thought and language, more inconsistencies occur than now, when the paths of speculation are well worn and the meaning of words precisely defined.

Agli albori della letteratura e della filosofia, tra i primi sforzi del pensiero e del linguaggio, si verificano più incongruenze di quanto accada ora, quando i sentieri della speculazione sono ben battuti e il significato delle parole è definito con precisione.

For consistency, too, is the growth of time; and some of the greatest creations of the human mind have been wanting in unity.

Poiché anche la coerenza è frutto del tempo; e alcune delle più grandi creazioni della mente umana sono state prive di unità.

Vocabulary

Non: Negation word meaning 'not' in Italian
vi: Pronoun meaning 'there' or 'you' (plural)
è: Third person singular of 'essere'; means 'is'
alcuna: Feminine form of 'alcuno'; meaning 'any' or 'some'
assurdità: Noun meaning absurdity or something utterly unreasonable
nel: Contraction of 'in' and 'il'; meaning 'in the'
supporre: Verb meaning to suppose, assume, or hypothesize
che: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'that,' 'which,' or 'who'
egli: Third person masculine pronoun meaning 'he'
possa: Subjunctive form of 'potere'; meaning 'can' or 'may'
aver: Shortened infinitive of 'avere'; meaning 'to have'
messo: Past participle of 'mettere'; meaning 'put' or 'placed'
da: Preposition meaning 'from,' 'by,' or 'since'
parte: Noun meaning 'part,' 'side,' or 'share'
i: Masculine plural definite article meaning 'the'
suoi: Possessive adjective meaning 'his,' 'her,' or 'its' (plural)
lavori: Plural noun meaning 'works,' 'jobs,' or 'tasks'
per: Preposition meaning 'for,' 'through,' or 'in order to'
un: Indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an' (masculine)
certo: Adjective meaning 'certain,' 'sure,' or 'a particular'
tempo: Noun meaning 'time,' 'weather,' or 'period'
o: Conjunction meaning 'or' connecting alternatives
essersi: Reflexive infinitive of 'essere'; meaning 'to have been'
rivolto: Past participle of 'rivolgere'; meaning 'turned' or 'directed'
un': Elided feminine indefinite article meaning 'a' or 'an'
opera: Noun meaning 'work,' 'opus,' or artistic creation
a: Preposition meaning 'to,' 'at,' or 'in'
altra: Feminine adjective meaning 'other' or 'another'
e: Conjunction meaning 'and' connecting words or clauses
tali: Adjective meaning 'such' or 'of this kind' (plural)
interruzioni: Plural noun meaning 'interruptions' or 'breaks' in continuity
sarebbero: Conditional form of 'essere'; meaning 'would be'
più: Adverb meaning 'more' or 'most' in comparisons
probabili: Adjective meaning 'probable' or 'likely' (plural form)
caso: Noun meaning 'case,' 'chance,' or 'instance'
di: Preposition meaning 'of,' 'from,' or 'about'
uno: Indefinite article or number meaning 'one' or 'a'
scritto: Noun or past participle meaning 'writing' or 'written text'
lungo: Adjective meaning 'long' in length or duration
breve: Adjective meaning 'brief,' 'short,' or 'concise'
In: Preposition meaning 'in,' 'into,' or 'within'
tutti: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'all' or 'everyone'
tentativi: Plural noun meaning 'attempts,' 'efforts,' or 'tries'
determinare: Verb meaning to determine, establish, or ascertain something
l': Elided definite article meaning 'the' before a vowel
ordine: Noun meaning 'order,' 'sequence,' or 'arrangement'
cronologico: Adjective meaning 'chronological,' relating to time sequence
degli: Contraction of 'di' and 'gli'; meaning 'of the' (masculine plural)
scritti: Plural noun meaning 'writings,' 'texts,' or 'written works'
sulla: Contraction of 'su' and 'la'; meaning 'on the' (feminine)
base: Noun meaning 'basis,' 'base,' or 'foundation'
prove: Plural noun meaning 'proofs,' 'evidence,' or 'tests'
interne: Adjective meaning 'internal' or 'inner' (feminine plural)
questa: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'this' (feminine singular)
incertezza: Noun meaning 'uncertainty,' 'doubt,' or 'ambiguity'
riguardo: Noun or preposition meaning 'regard,' 'respect,' or 'concerning'
al: Contraction of 'a' and 'il'; meaning 'to the' (masculine)
fatto: Noun meaning 'fact,' 'event,' or past participle 'done'
singolo: Adjective meaning 'single,' 'individual,' or 'sole'
Dialogo: Noun meaning 'dialogue,' a philosophical or literary conversation
sia: Subjunctive form of 'essere'; meaning 'is' or 'be'
stato: Past participle of 'essere'; meaning 'been' or 'state'
composto: Past participle meaning 'composed,' 'written,' or 'compiled'
in: Preposition meaning 'in,' 'into,' or 'within'
unica: Feminine adjective meaning 'unique,' 'sole,' or 'only'
occasione: Noun meaning 'occasion,' 'opportunity,' or 'event'
costituisce: Third person singular meaning 'constitutes' or 'forms'
elemento: Noun meaning 'element,' 'factor,' or 'component'
si: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'oneself,' 'himself,' or 'itself'
deve: Third person singular of 'dovere'; meaning 'must' or 'has to'
ammettere: Verb meaning to admit, acknowledge, or concede something
influisca: Subjunctive of 'influire'; meaning 'influences' or 'affects'
sulle: Contraction of 'su' and 'le'; meaning 'on the' (feminine plural)
opere: Plural noun meaning 'works,' 'compositions,' or 'writings'
lunghe: Feminine plural adjective meaning 'long' in length or duration
come: Adverb or conjunction meaning 'like,' 'as,' or 'how'
la: Feminine singular definite article meaning 'the'
Repubblica: Noun meaning 'Republic,' also Plato's famous philosophical work
le: Feminine plural definite article meaning 'the'
Leggi: Plural noun meaning 'laws'; also title of a Platonic dialogue
su: Preposition meaning 'on,' 'upon,' or 'about'
quelle: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those' (feminine plural)
brevi: Feminine plural adjective meaning 'short' or 'brief'
Ma: Conjunction meaning 'but,' introducing contrast or exception
d': Elided preposition 'di' meaning 'of' or 'from'
apparenti: Adjective meaning 'apparent,' 'seeming,' or 'visible' (plural)
discrepanze: Plural noun meaning 'discrepancies,' 'inconsistencies,' or 'differences'
della: Contraction of 'di' and 'la'; meaning 'of the' (feminine singular)
potrebbero: Conditional of 'potere'; meaning 'could' or 'might' (plural)
derivare: Verb meaning to derive, originate, or stem from something
soltanto: Adverb meaning 'only,' 'solely,' or 'merely'
dagli: Contraction of 'da' and 'gli'; meaning 'from the' (masculine plural)
elementi: Plural noun meaning 'elements,' 'components,' or 'factors'
il: Masculine singular definite article meaning 'the'
filosofo: Noun meaning 'philosopher,' a person who studies philosophy
ha: Third person singular of 'avere'; meaning 'has'
tentato: Past participle of 'tentare'; meaning 'attempted' or 'tried'
unire: Verb meaning to unite, join, or bring together elements
tutto: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'everything,' 'all,' or 'whole'
unico: Adjective meaning 'unique,' 'single,' or 'one of a kind'
forse: Adverb meaning 'perhaps,' 'maybe,' or 'possibly'
senza: Preposition meaning 'without,' indicating absence of something
essere: Infinitive verb meaning 'to be'; fundamental auxiliary verb
stesso: Adjective or pronoun meaning 'same,' 'himself,' or 'very'
grado: Noun meaning 'degree,' 'level,' or 'capacity'
riconoscere: Verb meaning to recognize, acknowledge, or identify something
incoerenza: Noun meaning 'incoherence,' 'inconsistency,' or 'contradiction'
ovvia: Feminine adjective meaning 'obvious,' 'evident,' or 'clear'
noi: Personal pronoun meaning 'we' or 'us'
Poiché: Conjunction meaning 'since,' 'because,' or 'as'
esiste: Third person singular of 'esistere'; meaning 'exists'
giudizio: Noun meaning 'judgment,' 'opinion,' or 'assessment'
delle: Contraction of 'di' and 'le'; meaning 'of the' (feminine plural)
epoche: Plural noun meaning 'epochs,' 'eras,' or 'historical periods'
successive: Feminine plural adjective meaning 'successive,' 'following,' or 'subsequent'
pochi: Adjective meaning 'few' or 'not many' (masculine plural)
grandi: Adjective meaning 'great,' 'large,' or 'important' (plural)
scrittori: Plural noun meaning 'writers' or 'authors'
sono: First or third person plural of 'essere'; meaning 'are'
mai: Adverb meaning 'never,' 'ever,' or 'at any time'
stati: Past participle plural of 'essere'; meaning 'been' or 'states'
anticipare: Verb meaning to anticipate, foresee, or come before something
se: Conjunction or pronoun meaning 'if,' 'whether,' or 'oneself'
stessi: Reflexive pronoun meaning 'themselves' or 'yourselves'
Essi: Third person plural pronoun meaning 'they' (masculine or mixed)
non: Adverb of negation meaning 'not'
percepiscono: Third person plural of 'percepire'; meaning 'they perceive'
mancanza: Noun meaning 'lack,' 'absence,' or 'shortage' of something
connessione: Noun meaning 'connection,' 'link,' or 'relationship'
nei: Contraction of 'in' and 'i'; meaning 'in the' (masculine plural)
propri: Possessive adjective meaning 'own' or 'one's own' (plural)
né: Conjunction meaning 'nor,' used in negative constructions
lacune: Plural noun meaning 'gaps,' 'lacunae,' or 'missing parts'
loro: Pronoun or possessive adjective meaning 'their,' 'them,' or 'they'
sistemi: Plural noun meaning 'systems,' 'frameworks,' or 'methods'
abbastanza: Adverb meaning 'enough,' 'sufficiently,' or 'fairly'
visibili: Adjective meaning 'visible,' 'noticeable,' or 'apparent' (plural)
coloro: Demonstrative pronoun meaning 'those who' or 'those people'
vengono: Third person plural of 'venire'; meaning 'they come'
dopo: Adverb or preposition meaning 'after,' 'later,' or 'afterwards'
Agli: Contraction of 'a' and 'gli'; meaning 'at the' or 'to the'
letteratura: Noun meaning 'literature,' the body of written works
filosofia: Noun meaning 'philosophy,' the study of fundamental questions
tra: Preposition meaning 'between,' 'among,' or 'within'
primi: Adjective meaning 'first' or 'earliest' (masculine plural)
sforzi: Plural noun meaning 'efforts,' 'attempts,' or 'exertions'
del: Contraction of 'di' and 'il'; meaning 'of the' (masculine singular)
pensiero: Noun meaning 'thought,' 'thinking,' or 'idea'
linguaggio: Noun meaning 'language,' 'speech,' or 'mode of expression'
verificano: Third person plural of 'verificarsi'; meaning 'they occur' or 'happen'
quanto: Pronoun or adverb meaning 'how much,' 'as much as'
accada: Subjunctive of 'accadere'; meaning 'happens' or 'occurs'
ora: Adverb meaning 'now,' 'at this moment'; also noun 'hour'
quando: Conjunction or adverb meaning 'when' indicating time
sentieri: Plural noun meaning 'paths,' 'trails,' or 'routes'
ben: Adverb meaning 'well' or 'very,' shortened form of 'bene'
battuti: Past participle meaning 'beaten,' 'well-trodden,' or 'frequented'
significato: Noun meaning 'meaning,' 'significance,' or 'sense'
parole: Plural noun meaning 'words' or 'speech'
definito: Past participle meaning 'defined,' 'established,' or 'precise'
con: Preposition meaning 'with' indicating accompaniment or manner
precisione: Noun meaning 'precision,' 'accuracy,' or 'exactness'
anche: Adverb meaning 'also,' 'too,' or 'even'
coerenza: Noun meaning 'coherence,' 'consistency,' or 'logical connection'
frutto: Noun meaning 'fruit,' 'result,' or 'product' of effort
alcune: Feminine plural pronoun meaning 'some' or 'a few'
creazioni: Plural noun meaning 'creations,' 'works,' or 'original productions'
mente: Noun meaning 'mind,' 'intellect,' or 'mental faculty'
umana: Feminine adjective meaning 'human,' relating to humankind
state: Feminine plural past participle of 'essere'; meaning 'been'
prive: Feminine plural adjective meaning 'deprived of' or 'lacking'
unità: Noun meaning 'unity,' 'oneness,' or 'cohesion'

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