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πλεῖστον -- τύραννον. The τύραννος is ἔρως: see 575 A τυραννικῶς ἐν αὐτῷ ὁ Ἔρως—ζῶν and 573 D. This explanation, with which Schneider agrees, is better than to make τύραννος equivalent merely to ‘the tyrannical element’ (cf. II 382 D note) and so weaken the force of τυραννικώτατος γὰρ ἂν εἴη. Plato here ignores the fact that if a successful tyrant has strong passions he is usually not less strong in capacity and will. If he were entirely the slave of Passion, he would not prove successful. ἐὰν μὲν κτλ. Cf. Prot. 325 D. The idiom, which begins with Homer, is illustrated at length by Herwerden Mn. XIX pp. 338 f. The reference in ὥσπερ τότε is to 574 C. νέους is ‘new’ (Schneider), not ‘young’: cf. VIII 568 A note, and νεωστὶ φίλης, νεωστὶ φίλου 574 B, C. μητρίδα Photius (ed. Porson I p. 268) thus explains: μητρίδα: τὴν πατρίδα. καὶ Πλάτων καὶ Φερεκράτης. Cf. Synes. Ep. 93. 1460 A Migne μητρίδος, ὡς ἂν Κρῆτες εἴποιεν. ἕξει τε καὶ θρέψει: ‘will have and hold’ (“haben und halten” Schneider). There is no sarcasm in θρέψει (“that is his way of supporting her!” J. and C.): nor does the word in this passage mean more than ‘keep.’ τοιοίδε γίγνονται . τοιοίδε “ad sequentia spectat” (Schneider), and γίγνονται=‘prove themselves,’ ‘shew themselves,’ as often.
The Republic of Plato. James Adam. 1902. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
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