Abstract
Abstract In Republic 607a Plato states that there is no place for sweet lyric or the epic Muse in the ideal city. It is philosophical logos that must rule in the city, not the passions that poets solicit from their audience. In the Republic Plato’s famous hostility towards the poets resembles a competition between philosophy and poetry. Plato wants, among other things, to replace Homer as the educator of Greece. The terms of this competition are inscribed in the well-known Platonic distinction between the truth of being and the falseness of appearance. The philosopher has knowledge of ‘what is’—the ideas; conversely, the poet is an imitator (mimetes), a creator of appearance.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
