The Republic — Page 6

English → Chinese INTRODUCTION AND ANALYSIS. Level 9/10

And many of the latest conceptions of modern thinkers and statesmen, such as the unity of knowledge, the reign of law, and the equality of the sexes, have been anticipated in a dream by him.

许多现代思想家和政治家的最新观念，如知识的统一、法律的统治以及两性平等，都曾被他在梦中预见。

The argument of the Republic is the search after Justice, the nature of which is first hinted at by Cephalus, the just and blameless old man—then discussed on the basis of proverbial morality by Socrates and Polemarchus—then caricatured by Thrasymachus and partially explained by Socrates—reduced to an abstraction by Glaucon and Adeimantus, and having become invisible in the individual reappears at length in the ideal State which is constructed by Socrates.

《理想国》的论题是对正义的探寻，其本质首先由公正无瑕的老人克法洛斯加以暗示，继而由苏格拉底和玻勒马科斯以道德格言为基础展开讨论，再经色拉叙马科斯的歪曲描绘和苏格拉底的部分阐释，又被格劳孔和阿德曼托斯化约为抽象概念，在个人层面消隐之后，最终在苏格拉底所构建的理想国中重新显现。

The first care of the rulers is to be education, of which an outline is drawn after the old Hellenic model, providing only for an improved religion and morality, and more simplicity in music and gymnastic, a manlier strain of poetry, and greater harmony of the individual and the State.

统治者首要关注的是教育，其纲要仿照古希腊模式制定，仅着眼于改进宗教与道德，使音乐和体育更趋简朴，诗歌更具阳刚之气，并促进个人与国家之间更大的和谐。

We are thus led on to the conception of a higher State, in which 'no man calls anything his own,' and in which there is neither 'marrying nor giving in marriage,' and 'kings are philosophers' and 'philosophers are kings;' and there is another and higher education, intellectual as well as moral and religious, of science as well as of art, and not of youth only but of the whole of life.

由此我们被引向一种更高层次的国家理念，在这个国家中，"没有人将任何东西称为己有"，既无"嫁娶之事"，"王者即哲学家"，"哲学家即王者"；并且存在另一种更高层次的教育，既涵盖智识，也涵盖道德与宗教，既包括科学，也包括艺术，且不仅限于青年时期，而是贯穿人的一生。

Such a State is hardly to be realized in this world and quickly degenerates.

这样的国家在现实世界中几乎无法实现，且很快便会走向衰败。

Vocabulary

许多: xǔduō — Many; a large number of things or people
现代: xiàndài — Modern era; contemporary times
思想家: sīxiǎngjiā — Thinker; person who develops philosophical ideas
和: hé — And; used to connect nouns or phrases
政治家: zhèngzhìjiā — Statesman; person engaged in political leadership
的: de — Possessive or attributive particle
最新: zuìxīn — Latest; most recent or up-to-date
观念: guānniàn — Concept; idea or way of thinking
如: rú — Such as; for example
知识: zhīshi — Knowledge; information and understanding acquired
统一: tǒngyī — Unification; to unite or make uniform
法律: fǎlǜ — Law; legal rules governing society
统治: tǒngzhì — Rule; to govern or exercise authority over
以及: yǐjí — As well as; and also
两性: liǎngxìng — Both sexes; relating to male and female
平等: píngděng — Equality; being equal in rights or status
都曾: dōu céng — Have all at some point; previously all did
被: bèi — Passive marker; used to indicate passive voice
他: tā — He; third-person singular male pronoun
在: zài — In; at; located in a place or time
梦中: mèngzhōng — In a dream; within a dream state
预见: yùjiàn — To foresee; anticipate future events
理想国: Lǐxiǎngguó — The Republic; Plato's famous philosophical work
论题: lùntí — Thesis; topic or subject of discussion
是: shì — Is; linking verb indicating identity or state
对: duì — Toward; regarding; directed at something
正义: zhèngyì — Justice; moral rightness and fairness
探寻: tànxún — To explore and seek; search for something
其: qí — Its; his; her; possessive pronoun (literary)
本质: běnzhì — Essence; fundamental nature of something
首先: shǒuxiān — First; in the first place
由: yóu — By; from; through (indicates agent or origin)
公正: gōngzhèng — Fair; impartial and just in judgment
无瑕: wúxiá — Flawless; without blemish or fault
老人: lǎorén — Old man; elderly person
加以: jiāyǐ — To proceed to; to apply an action to
暗示: ànshì — To hint; suggest indirectly
继而: jì'ér — Then; subsequently; following that
以: yǐ — Using; by means of (literary preposition)
道德: dàodé — Morality; ethics; moral principles
格言: géyán — Maxim; short memorable moral saying
为: wéi — As; to serve as; to be (literary)
基础: jīchǔ — Foundation; basis on which something rests
展开: zhǎnkāi — To unfold; to develop or carry out
讨论: tǎolùn — Discussion; to discuss a topic
歪曲: wāiqū — To distort; misrepresent the truth
描绘: miáohuì — To depict; portray through description
部分: bùfen — Part; portion of a whole
阐释: chǎnshì — To expound; explain in detail
化约: huàyuē — To reduce; simplify to a basic form
抽象: chōuxiàng — Abstract; theoretical rather than concrete
概念: gàiniàn — Concept; abstract idea or notion
个人: gèrén — Individual; personal; at the personal level
层面: céngmiàn — Level; dimension or aspect of something
消隐: xiāoyǐn — To fade away; disappear gradually
之后: zhīhòu — After; afterward; following a point in time
最终: zuìzhōng — Ultimately; in the end; final result
所: suǒ — That which; used before verbs nominally
构建: gòujiàn — To construct; build up systematically
中: zhōng — Within; inside; in the middle of
重新: chóngxīn — Anew; again; once more from the start
显现: xiǎnxiàn — To appear; manifest; become visible
统治者: tǒngzhìzhě — Ruler; one who governs or holds power
首要: shǒuyào — Primary; foremost; most important concern
关注: guānzhù — To pay attention to; focus on
教育: jiàoyù — Education; the process of teaching and learning
纲要: gāngyào — Outline; summary of main points
仿照: fǎngzhào — To model after; imitate a pattern
古: gǔ — Ancient; old; of the distant past
希腊: Xīlà — Greece; ancient Mediterranean civilization
模式: móshì — Model; pattern or mode of operation
制定: zhìdìng — To formulate; draw up a plan or policy
仅: jǐn — Only; merely; no more than
着眼于: zhuóyǎn yú — To focus on; direct attention toward something
改进: gǎijìn — To improve; make better through modification
宗教: zōngjiào — Religion; organized system of spiritual belief
与: yǔ — And; together with (literary conjunction)
使: shǐ — To cause; make something happen
音乐: yīnyuè — Music; art of organized sound
体育: tǐyù — Physical education; sports and athletics
简朴: jiǎnpǔ — Simple and plain; modest and unadorned
诗歌: shīgē — Poetry; literary art form using verse
阳刚之气: yánggāng zhī qì — Masculine spirit; manly vigor and strength
并: bìng — And; moreover; simultaneously (conjunction)
促进: cùjìn — To promote; facilitate or encourage development
国家: guójiā — Nation; state; country
之间: zhījiān — Between; among two or more entities
更大: gèng dà — Greater; larger; more significant
和谐: héxié — Harmony; peaceful coexistence and agreement
由此: yóucǐ — From this; thereby; as a result of this
我们: wǒmen — We; us; first-person plural pronoun
引向: yǐn xiàng — To lead toward; guide in a direction
一种: yī zhǒng — A kind of; one type of something
更: gèng — Even more; to a greater degree
高: gāo — High; elevated; at a higher level
层次: céngcì — Level; hierarchy; degree of depth
理念: lǐniàn — Idea; philosophical concept or guiding principle
这个: zhège — This; this particular one
没有人: méiyǒu rén — Nobody; no one; not a single person
将: jiāng — Will; shall; future tense marker (literary)
任何: rènhé — Any; whatever; no matter which
东西: dōngxi — Thing; object; stuff
称为: chēng wéi — To call; refer to as; designate as
己有: jǐ yǒu — One's own possession; belonging to oneself
嫁娶: jiàqǔ — Marriage; the act of marrying (giving and taking)
王者: wángzhě — King; one who rules as monarch
即: jí — Is; namely; that is to say
哲学家: zhéxuéjiā — Philosopher; one who practices philosophy
并且: bìngqiě — Furthermore; and also; moreover
存在: cúnzài — To exist; existence; being present
另一种: lìng yī zhǒng — Another kind; a different type
既: jì — Both; already; since (used in correlatives)
涵盖: hángài — To encompass; cover a wide range
智识: zhìshí — Intellectual knowledge; wisdom and understanding
也: yě — Also; too; as well
包括: bāokuò — To include; comprise; encompass
科学: kēxué — Science; systematic study of natural phenomena
艺术: yìshù — Art; creative expression and aesthetic work
且: qiě — And; moreover; furthermore (literary)
不仅: bùjǐn — Not only; more than just
限于: xiàn yú — Limited to; restricted to a scope
青年: qīngnián — Youth; young people; adolescence
时期: shíqī — Period; a stage or phase of time
而是: ér shì — But rather; instead it is
贯穿: guànchuān — To run through; span across entirely
人: rén — Person; human being
一生: yīshēng — Lifetime; one's whole life
这样: zhèyàng — Such; like this; in this way
现实: xiànshí — Reality; the actual state of things
世界: shìjiè — World; the earth and all that exists
几乎: jīhū — Almost; nearly; practically
无法: wúfǎ — Unable to; impossible to achieve
实现: shíxiàn — To realize; achieve; bring into existence
很快: hěn kuài — Very quickly; soon; before long
便会: biàn huì — Will then; is bound to; will soon
走向: zǒuxiàng — To move toward; head in a direction
衰败: shuāibài — Decline; decay; fall into ruin

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