General Introduction
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 June 2022
Summary
The General Introduction to volume 1 in this series provides an overview of Proclus’ Republic Commentary.1 We discussed the place of Plato’s Republic within the Neoplatonist curriculum and defended the conclusion that, while Proclus’ Republic Commentary is different in character from his (incomplete) line-by-line commentaries on Alcibiades I, Parmenides, and Timaeus, it is not merely a grab bag of disparate materials that is unified only by having the Republic as their subject matter.2 The seventeen essays that make up the Republic Commentary do cover the dialogue from beginning to end. The essays also differ from one another in character and tone. Some are expressly said to have been composed for one purpose (e.g. Essay 1 arises from a class on the Republic), while others were for special occasions. As we noted in volume I, Essay 6 reflects a lecture celebrating Plato’s birthday.
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- Information
- Proclus: Commentary on Plato's 'Republic' , pp. 1 - 14Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2022