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ἀσχημονεῖ κτλ. Cf. Theaet. 174 B, C ὅταν ἐν δικαστηρίῳ ἤ που ἄλλοθι ἀναγκασθῇ περὶ τῶν παρὰ πόδας—διαλέγεσθαι, γέλωτα παρέχει—ἡ ἀσχημοσύνη δεινὴ—γελοῖος φαίνεται. The whole of the description of the φιλόσοφος in the Theaetetus should be carefully compared with this passage. ἔτι ἀμβλυώττων is logically subordinate to ἀναγκαζόμενος. τῶν τοῦ δικαίου κτλ. treats the Cave as an allegory of δοξαστά (see on VI 510 A, VII 517 A). The expression ‘shadows of the just’ is vague (cf. σκιαμαχούντων in 520 C), and ἢ ἀγαλμάτων ὧν αἱ σκιαί introduces more precision. We may regard ἀγαλμάτων as symbolising the enacted laws of a city, and their shadows as the “representation or misrepresentation of the existing laws (themselves only ‘images’ of justice) by a rhetorician or pleader” (Nettleship Hell. p. 141 note 1). Compare (with Shorey Idea of Good etc. p. 287) Soph. 234 C and Pol. 303 C. ὅπῃ ποτὲ -- ἰδόντων. For the real point at issue is not the law, but the judges' interpretation thereof. Plato is doubtless thinking of Socrates and his judges throughout the whole of this passage.
The Republic of Plato. James Adam. 1902. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
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