How The Republic drew on The Oresteia
A documented line of influence: Plato demonstrably engaged Aeschylus’s work. The commentary below is Gröblé’s, verbatim from each work’s page.
The source
The Oresteia
Aeschylus · 458 BCE
Ancient GreeceThe influenced
The Republic
Plato · c. 375 BCE
Ancient GreeceRelevance
5/10
On The Republic’s page
- Aeschylus is one of Plato's chosen targets — Book 2 singles out the Oresteia's poet for praising a justice prized only for its good name, the view the whole dialogue exists to refute
- He's also expressly named among the tragedians banished from the ideal city
- Reading the Oresteia first lets you hear exactly whom Plato is arguing against when he indicts the poets
On The Oresteia’s page
- Plato names Aeschylus directly — and not to praise him
- Book 2 of the Republic faults the Oresteia's poet for endorsing a justice valued only for its reputation, the exact view Socrates sets out to demolish
- And when Plato bars the tragedians from his ideal city, Aeschylus is named on the list of the exiled