James Adam, The Republic of Plato

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δεκάτῳ κτλ.: ‘in the tenth month and also in the seventh month.’ δή (as J. and C. remark) draws attention to the more exceptional case: cf. II 367 C note The Greek cannot, I think, be taken as an inexact way of saying “from seven to ten months after” (J. and C.). In point of fact the majority of ancient writers on the subject denied that children were ever born in the eighth month of pregnancy: see Gellius Noct. Att. III 16 and Censorinus de die natali 7. 2.

ἐγέννων: ‘were engaged in begetting children’: cf. 460 E, and 461 B (τῶν ἔτι γεννώντων). Richards has pointed out (Cl. Rev. IV p. 7) that the imperfect refers “to the whole time of life during which father and mother were allowed, if the lot fell upon them, to take part in the regular unions.” Cf. Tim. 18 D νομιοῦσι δὲ πάντες πάντας αὐτοὺς ὁμογενεῖς, ἀδελφὰς μὲν καὶ ἀδελφοὺς ὅσοιπερ ἂν τῆς πρεπούσης ἐντὸς ἡλικίας γίγνωνται. Jowett's version—“all who were begotten at the time when their fathers and mothers came together”—mistakes both ἐν and ἐγέννων. Schneider translates the passage correctly.

ὥστε -- ἅπτεσθαι. I agree with Richards in understanding this of the “irregular unions which were last mentioned” (461 C). But in spite of the explicit reference in ὃ νῦν δὴ ἐλέγομεν, Plato has not as yet forbidden such unions between ‘brothers’ and ‘sisters’: see 461 C note The discrepancy is hard to explain, especially as the list in 461 C seems intended to be exhaustive. The effect of the prohibition (owing to the meaning now given to ‘brother’ and ‘sister’) would be greatly to restrict, but not to abolish, unauthorised liaisons.