The Republic

Plato's musings on how society should function, as well as the nature of the people who inhabit society, is read by Bruce Alexander in this abridgment. The recording and Alexander's performance are flawless. A veteran Shakespearean actor, Alexander has a voice that is rich and versatile in portraying each of the speakers in this dialogue. His accent also has an air of authority. He makes one suppose that the ancient Greek philosophers went to Oxford. This work is really delightful to hear as one follows the course of Socrates' arguments and the questions thrown at him by the Athenians. The packaging is sturdy, and the enclosed outline is most helpful. Music at the beginning and end of each side does not distract from the performance. A wonderful introduction to Plato. M.T.F. (c) AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine

Narrator Leighton Pugh gives all the interlocutors in Plato's most important dialogue their own voices. But only Socrates, who does almost all the talking, comes across as a full person: intelligent, moderate in temper, genial, accommodating to his fellows but someone who commands respect and attention. Pugh also distinguishes the minor characters adequately and switches among them skillfully. THE REPUBLIC deals with justice, politics, and education, among many topics, and includes the famous "Allegory of the Cave." It can be complex, but Pugh's fine voice, natural pacing, and thoughtful expressiveness help keep the meaning clear, and the nineteenth-century translation is both graceful and lucid. Pugh's reading demonstrates that philosophy not only can be comprehensible in audio but also enjoyable. W.M. © AudioFile 2022, Portland, Maine