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, B 2 αὐτήν: ipsam, not eam, as Jowett apparently translates it. διὸ δὴ καὶ εὐήθεις. “For unstained thoughts do seldom dream on evil: Birds never limed no secret bushes fear” (Rape of Lucrece). Cf. infra VII 517 D ff., Theaet. 174 C ff. The use of παραδείγματα recalls Theaet. 176 E, though the idea is somewhat different here. The word means ‘models,’ ‘standards,’ not ‘samples of experience’ (J. and C.), and τοῖς πονηροῖς is equivalent to τοῖς τῶν πονηρῶν παραδείγμασι. Cf. infra C, D, where παράδειγμα τοῦ τοιούτου is ‘a model’ (not ‘a sample’) ‘of such a character.’ So also Schneider, who translates by ‘Vorbild.’ ὀψιμαθῆ κτλ. The common taunt ὀψιμαθής is in such a case an epithet of praise. οὐκ οἰκείαν κτλ. For the asyndeton see 407 D note δεῖ αἰσθάνεσθαι for διαισθάνεσθαι (Stob. Flor. 45. 96) is ingenious, but weak. As Steinhart remarks (Einleitung p. 173), the scientific knowledge of virtue, according to Socrates and Plato, implies a knowledge of its opposite, viz. vice: see on I 334 A, and cf. infra 409 D.
The Republic of Plato. James Adam. 1902. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
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