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572B - 573C The origin of the tyrannical man is as follows. A democratical father has a son, who is led away by evil associates into every form of lawlessness. When his family come to the rescue, these tyrant-breeders implant in him a masterpassion to act as champion of his dronedesires. The history of the corresponding State repeats itself in the young man's soul, and the champion Lust becomes a tyrant in due course. We look on Lust, Drink, Madness as tyrants; and the tyrannical man arises when these three tyrants establish their dominion over the soul. βουλόμεθα. W. H. Thompson's ἐβουλόμεθα is unnecessary and even awkward with the present ἐστίν just following. The Greek means simply ‘but what we want to notice is this’ etc. καὶ πάνυ belongs to μετρίοις (Schneider) rather than to δοκοῦσιν (J. and C.): ‘however virtuous we may some of us appear to be.’ οἷον ἔφαμεν ἐ̂ναι. VIII 561 A— 562 A. ἦν δέ που κτλ.: ‘he had been, you remember, produced, by having been brought up from early years’ etc. Socrates recalls the genesis of the democratical man (described in 558 C, 559 D ff.) before recalling his nature (in D below). Ast suggested γεγονὼς <καὶ> or γεγονώς <τε καὶ>, taking γεγονώς of birth. The correct interpretation was pointed out by Schneider.
The Republic of Plato. James Adam. 1902. Cambridge. Cambridge University Press.
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