POPPER | His copy of Plato's Republic, 1929

POPPER, KARL--PLATO

The Republic. Trans. Davies and Vaughan. Macmillan, 1929

12mo, POPPER'S COPY, WITH HIS PRESENTATION INSCRIPTION TO MELITTA MEW ON THE FRONT FREE ENDPAPERS ("A much beloved copy of a great and terrible book, often in my pocket in New Zealand days. K.R.P."), small number of marginal notes including on p.62 on the translation of thymoeides, cloth, remains of dust-wrapper loosely inserted with further notes by Popper

"...What a monument of human smallness is this idea of the philosopher king. What a contrast between it and the simplicity of humaneness of Socrates, who warned the statesmen against the danger of being dazzled by his own power, excellence, and wisdom, and who tried to teach him what matters most — that we are all frail human beings..." - Popper, The Open Society and Its Enemies

POPPER'S COPY OF PLATO'S REPUBLIC. This copy of Plato's great work of political philosophy was read by him in New Zealand where he worked from 1936 to 1945 and wrote The Open Society and Its Enemies. Popper's book includes probably the most significant attack on Plato's political philosophy of modern times.

PROVENANCE:

Karl Popper; gifted to his personal assistant Melitta Mew