The Republic — Page 1

English → Chinese INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Level 9/10

The Republic of Plato is the longest of his works with the exception of the Laws, and is certainly the greatest of them.

柏拉图的《理想国》是他除《法律篇》之外篇幅最长的作品，也无疑是其中最伟大的一部。

There are nearer approaches to modern metaphysics in the Philebus and in the Sophist; the Politicus or Statesman is more ideal; the form and institutions of the State are more clearly drawn out in the Laws; as works of art, the Symposium and the Protagoras are of higher excellence.

《斐莱布斯篇》和《智者篇》更接近于现代形而上学；《政治家篇》更具理想色彩；《法律篇》对国家的形式与制度有更为清晰的阐述；就艺术成就而言，《会饮篇》和《普罗泰戈拉篇》则更为卓越。

But no other Dialogue of Plato has the same largeness of view and the same perfection of style; no other shows an equal knowledge of the world, or contains more of those thoughts which are new as well as old, and not of one age only but of all.

但柏拉图的其他任何对话录都不具有同样宏阔的视野和同样完美的文风；没有哪一部展现出同等的世界认识，或包含更多那些既是新颖又是古老、不属于某一时代而属于所有时代的思想。

Nowhere in Plato is there a deeper irony or a greater wealth of humour or imagery, or more dramatic power.

在柏拉图的作品中，没有任何地方具有更深刻的反讽、更丰富的幽默与意象，或更强烈的戏剧张力。

Nor in any other of his writings is the attempt made to interweave life and speculation, or to connect politics with philosophy.

他的其他任何著作也都未曾尝试将生活与思辨融为一体，或将政治与哲学联结起来。

The Republic is the centre around which the other Dialogues may be grouped; here philosophy reaches the highest point (cp, especially in Books V, VI, VII) to which ancient thinkers ever attained.

《理想国》是其他对话录得以汇聚其周围的核心；哲学在此（尤见于第五、六、七卷）达到了古代思想家所能企及的最高峰。

Plato among the Greeks, like Bacon among the moderns, was the first who conceived a method of knowledge, although neither of them always distinguished the bare outline or form from the substance of truth; and both of them had to be content with an abstraction of science which was not yet realized.

柏拉图在希腊人中，犹如培根在近代人中，是第一个构想出知识方法的人，尽管他们两人并非总能将真理的轮廓或形式与真理的实质加以区分；而且他们二人都不得不满足于一种尚未实现的科学抽象。

Vocabulary

的: de — Possessive or attributive particle.
理想国: Lǐxiǎng Guó — The Republic, Plato's famous philosophical dialogue.
是: shì — To be; is, am, are.
他: tā — He, him (third-person singular male pronoun).
除: chú — Except for; besides; excluding.
之外: zhīwài — Outside of; apart from; beyond.
篇幅: piānfú — Length or space of a written work.
最长: zuì cháng — The longest; greatest in length.
作品: zuòpǐn — A literary or artistic work or creation.
也: yě — Also; too; as well.
无疑: wúyí — Without doubt; undoubtedly; certainly.
其中: qízhōng — Among them; within that group.
最伟大: zuì wěidà — The greatest; most magnificent or remarkable.
一部: yī bù — One volume or copy of a work.
和: hé — And; together with; plus.
更: gèng — Even more; still more; further.
接近: jiējìn — To approach; to be close to something.
于: yú — In; at; to; preposition indicating relation.
现代: xiàndài — Modern times; contemporary era.
形而上学: xíng ér shàng xué — Metaphysics; philosophical study beyond physical reality.
更具: gèng jù — Even more possessing; having more of a quality.
理想: lǐxiǎng — Ideal; perfect vision or aspiration.
色彩: sècǎi — Color; hue; character or tone.
对: duì — Toward; regarding; concerning something.
国家: guójiā — Country; state; nation.
形式: xíngshì — Form; shape; manner or structure.
与: yǔ — And; with; together with.
制度: zhìdù — System; institution; established rules or regulations.
有: yǒu — To have; there is or are.
更为: gèngwéi — Even more so; to a greater degree.
清晰: qīngxī — Clear; distinct; easy to understand.
阐述: chǎnshù — To expound; to explain in detail.
就: jiù — With regard to; in terms of; concerning.
艺术: yìshù — Art; artistic skill or expression.
成就: chéngjiù — Achievement; accomplishment; attainment.
而言: éryán — In terms of; speaking of; as for.
则: zé — Then; but; however; in contrast.
卓越: zhuóyuè — Outstanding; excellent; exceptionally distinguished.
但: dàn — But; however; yet; nevertheless.
其他: qítā — Other; the rest; other things or people.
任何: rènhé — Any; whatever; whichever.
对话录: duìhuà lù — Dialogue record; a collection of philosophical conversations.
都: dōu — All; both; every; entirely.
不: bù — Not; no; negation particle.
具有: jùyǒu — To possess; to have; to exhibit a quality.
同样: tóngyàng — Same; equally; in the same way.
宏阔: hóngkuò — Vast; broad; expansive in scope or vision.
视野: shìyě — Field of vision; perspective; breadth of view.
完美: wánměi — Perfect; flawless; without defect.
文风: wénfēng — Writing style; literary manner or tone.
没有: méiyǒu — To not have; there is no; lacking.
哪一部: nǎ yī bù — Which one (of a set of works or volumes).
展现: zhǎnxiàn — To display; to reveal; to show clearly.
出: chū — Out; outward; to produce or bring forth.
同等: tóngděng — Equal; equivalent; of the same level.
世界: shìjiè — World; the earth; the universe.
认识: rènshi — To know; understanding; knowledge of something.
或: huò — Or; either; perhaps.
包含: bāohán — To contain; to include; to encompass.
更多: gèng duō — Even more; a greater amount or number.
那些: nàxiē — Those; referring to previously mentioned items.
既是: jì shì — Both is; at once being; simultaneously.
新颖: xīnyǐng — Novel; fresh; original and innovative.
又是: yòu shì — Also is; and again; at the same time.
古老: gǔlǎo — Ancient; old; having a long history.
属于: shǔyú — To belong to; to be part of.
某一: mǒu yī — A certain; some particular (unspecified one).
时代: shídài — Era; age; period in history.
而: ér — And; yet; but; connecting clauses.
所有: suǒyǒu — All; every; everything; all of.
思想: sīxiǎng — Thought; ideology; ideas; way of thinking.
在: zài — At; in; located at; to be present.
中: zhōng — In; within; middle; among.
地方: dìfāng — Place; location; locality; region.
深刻: shēnkè — Profound; deep; incisive; leaving a strong impression.
反讽: fǎnfěng — Irony; sarcasm; saying opposite of meaning.
丰富: fēngfù — Rich; abundant; plentiful; diverse.
幽默: yōumò — Humor; humorous; witty and amusing.
意象: yìxiàng — Image; imagery; mental picture in writing.
强烈: qiángliè — Intense; strong; powerful; fervent.
戏剧: xìjù — Drama; theater; dramatic performance.
张力: zhānglì — Tension; dramatic or intellectual force; tautness.
著作: zhùzuò — Written works; books; scholarly writings.
未曾: wèicéng — Has never; never before; not yet done.
尝试: chángshì — To attempt; to try; to make an effort.
将: jiāng — To take; will; future marker or preposition.
生活: shēnghuó — Life; daily living; to live.
思辨: sībiàn — Speculative thinking; philosophical reasoning and reflection.
融为一体: róng wéi yī tǐ — To merge into one; to integrate completely together.
政治: zhèngzhì — Politics; political affairs or governance.
哲学: zhéxué — Philosophy; the study of fundamental questions.
联结: liánjié — To connect; to link; to join together.
起来: qǐlái — Together; up; indicates action completion or start.
得以: déyǐ — To be able to; so as to achieve.
汇聚: huìjù — To converge; to gather; to come together.
其: qí — Its; his; their; that (literary pronoun).
周围: zhōuwéi — Surroundings; around; the area nearby.
核心: héxīn — Core; nucleus; central and most important part.
在此: zàicǐ — Here; at this point; in this regard.
尤见: yóu jiàn — Especially seen; particularly evident or noticeable.
第五: dìwǔ — Fifth; the fifth in a sequence.
六: liù — Six; the number 6.
七卷: qī juàn — Seventh volume; book seven of a work.
达到: dádào — To reach; to attain; to achieve a level.
了: le — Completion particle; indicates action is done.
古代: gǔdài — Ancient times; antiquity; old era.
思想家: sīxiǎngjiā — Thinker; intellectual; philosopher or ideologist.
所能: suǒ néng — What one is capable of; able to achieve.
企及: qǐjí — To reach; to attain; to measure up to.
最高峰: zuì gāofēng — The highest peak; pinnacle; summit of achievement.
希腊人: Xīlà rén — Greek person; ancient or modern Greek people.
犹如: yóurú — Just like; as if; similar to.
近代人: jìndài rén — People of the modern era; early modern persons.
第一个: dì yī gè — The first one; the very first.
构想: gòuxiǎng — To conceive; to envision; a plan or concept.
知识: zhīshi — Knowledge; learning; information and understanding.
方法: fāngfǎ — Method; approach; way of doing something.
人: rén — Person; people; human being.
尽管: jǐnguǎn — Although; even though; despite the fact.
他们: tāmen — They; them (third-person plural pronoun).
两人: liǎng rén — Two people; both persons.
并非: bìngfēi — Not at all; by no means; certainly not.
总能: zǒng néng — Always able to; always capable of.
真理: zhēnlǐ — Truth; universal truth; fundamental principle.
轮廓: lúnkuò — Outline; contour; general shape or framework.
实质: shízhì — Substance; essence; true nature of something.
加以: jiāyǐ — To apply; to proceed to; used before verbs.
区分: qūfēn — To distinguish; to differentiate; to tell apart.
而且: érqiě — Moreover; furthermore; in addition.
二人: èr rén — Two people; both individuals.
不得不: bùdébù — Cannot but; have no choice but to.
满足: mǎnzú — To satisfy; to be content; to fulfill needs.
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of; one type of; a sort of.
尚未: shàngwèi — Not yet; still not; has not yet happened.
实现: shíxiàn — To realize; to achieve; to make real.
科学: kēxué — Science; scientific; systematic empirical knowledge.
抽象: chōuxiàng — Abstract; theoretical; not concrete or tangible.

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