Scott John Hammond is professor of political theory at James Madison University.

This book is a. . . thoughtful study of Plato on political life as presented in "The Republic," "The Laws," and "The Statesman," and as discussed in much contemporary secondary literature. The author has three major themes: the Platonic teaching on the eternal essence of politics is as relevant today as in Plato’s time; the teaching of "The Republic" on the best city is fully compatible and consistent with the teaching on the second best city of "The Laws"; some of the ideas of "The Republic" and especially "The Laws" contain democratic features (versus the views of Gregory Vlastos, among others). . . Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and graduate students.

• Chapter One Drawing Further Meaning from Cephalus and PolemarchusChapter Two Making Thrasymachus BlushChapter Three Sons of AristonChapter Four The True CityChapter Five The True City Embodied in the GuardiansChapter Six Rough SeasChapter Seven Building a Theory from an AccountChapter Eight The Second Best CityChapter Nine The Form of the Polis in the Second Best City: The VisibleChapter Ten The Form of the Polis in the Second Best City: The Invisible

Scott John Hammond is professor of political theory at James Madison University.

This book is a. . . thoughtful study of Plato on political life as presented in "The Republic," "The Laws," and "The Statesman," and as discussed in much contemporary secondary literature. The author has three major themes: the Platonic teaching on the eternal essence of politics is as relevant today as in Plato’s time; the teaching of "The Republic" on the best city is fully compatible and consistent with the teaching on the second best city of "The Laws"; some of the ideas of "The Republic" and especially "The Laws" contain democratic features (versus the views of Gregory Vlastos, among others). . . Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and graduate students.

• Chapter One Drawing Further Meaning from Cephalus and PolemarchusChapter Two Making Thrasymachus BlushChapter Three Sons of AristonChapter Four The True CityChapter Five The True City Embodied in the GuardiansChapter Six Rough SeasChapter Seven Building a Theory from an AccountChapter Eight The Second Best CityChapter Nine The Form of the Polis in the Second Best City: The VisibleChapter Ten The Form of the Polis in the Second Best City: The Invisible

Scott John Hammond is professor of political theory at James Madison University.

This book is a. . . thoughtful study of Plato on political life as presented in "The Republic," "The Laws," and "The Statesman," and as discussed in much contemporary secondary literature. The author has three major themes: the Platonic teaching on the eternal essence of politics is as relevant today as in Plato’s time; the teaching of "The Republic" on the best city is fully compatible and consistent with the teaching on the second best city of "The Laws"; some of the ideas of "The Republic" and especially "The Laws" contain democratic features (versus the views of Gregory Vlastos, among others). . . Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and graduate students.

• Chapter One Drawing Further Meaning from Cephalus and PolemarchusChapter Two Making Thrasymachus BlushChapter Three Sons of AristonChapter Four The True CityChapter Five The True City Embodied in the GuardiansChapter Six Rough SeasChapter Seven Building a Theory from an AccountChapter Eight The Second Best CityChapter Nine The Form of the Polis in the Second Best City: The VisibleChapter Ten The Form of the Polis in the Second Best City: The Invisible