James Adam, The Republic of Plato

ἤ=‘alioquin.’ Cf. V 463 D note

οὕτω κτλ. οὕτω “ex Adimanti verbis repetitum et praecise dictum est pro οὕτω λεγόμενον ἦν.” If the word is genuine, it must be taken in this way. J. and C. translate “to say no more,” comparing ῥᾳδίως οὕτω and the like (see on II 377 B). But there appears to be no other instance of this idiomatic οὔτω with the adverb σφόδρα. οὑτωσὶ σφόδρα in Ar. Frogs 88 is quite different, in spite of Blaydes on Ar. Wasps 461. It is just possible that οὕτω is an interpolation from οὕτω just before.

παρὰ δόξαν. By selecting this form of expression Plato “opinionibus opinionem tribuit” (Schneider), loosely enough, but the words are practically equivalent to ἐναντίον. παράδοξον would be somewhat easier, but the text is probably sound. For a similar pleonasm see my note on Crito 44 C.

δοκουμένοις. With the passive cf. X 612 D.

αὐτοῦ is masculine, and means Plato's καλὸς κἀγαθός, i.e. the philosopher, whom popular opinion regards as an ἀλαζών, if not as a liar.

ἆρ᾽ οὖν δὴ κτλ. ‘Shall we not then fairly plead that the true lover of learning was disposed by nature to strive towards Being and tarried not at the many particulars which are opined to be’ etc.? Socrates has just said that Truth is the leading attribute of the Philosopher. This proposition is challenged by public opinion (παρὰ δόξαν τοῖς νῦν δοκουμένοις), and in support of it Socrates urges, what he had asserted before (485 A—C) that the philosopher is a lover of τὸ ὄν. εἴη (‘was,’ i.e. ‘is, as we saw’) would be the ‘philosophic imperfect’ in direct speech. For the rare change from ἦν to εἴη after a primary tense cf. Xen. Mem. I 2. 34 δῆλον (sc. ἐστὶν） ὅτι ἀφεκτέον εἴη τοῦ ὀρθῶς λέγειν, where εἴη stands for ἦν (the usual ‘erat’ for ‘esset’ with words denoting obligation or necessity) of the direct, and Plato Charm. 156 B λέγουσί που ὅτι οὐχ οἷόν τε αὐτοὺς μόνους ἐπιχειρεῖν τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἰᾶσθαι, ἀλλ᾽ ἀναγκαῖον εἴη ἅμα καὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν θεραπεύειν. (Madvig's insertion of ἄν after ἀναγκαῖον in this passage is without authority.) Cf. also II 361 C note The sequence is all the more easy with the philosophic imperfect because its very nature involves a reference to the past. Ast's conjecture ἀπελογησάμεθα is incorrect; for the philosopher's zeal for Being has not yet been urged in defence of the statement—now for the first time formally challenged— that Truth is his leading characteristic. Madvig conjectures ἀπελογισάμεθα, which Baiter adopts, although the word is wholly inappropriate here. Cf. X 607 B note