33Plato’s Book of Images
Nicholas D. Smith
The things they mould and draw, which have shadows and im-
ages of themselves in water, these they treat in turn as images,
seeking those Forms which can be conceived only in thought.
Republic 510e1– 511a1Plato’s Republic is a book of images. Its most famous image, perhaps, is
the image in which he has Socrates compare all human beings to pris-
oners in a cave. But the Republic is also the locus classicus of that most
famous image of the ship of state, whose brave ruler is compared to the
ship’s captain (488a1– 489c7; see also 389c4– d5). The book itself begins
with a somewhat spooky image reminiscent of the heroic katabasis or
descent.^1 And indeed, considerably more imagery of various kinds can
be found throughout the Republic.^2
There is, however, something at least a bit unnerving about all of
this imagery. Plato’s own most famous view of image-makers is notori-
ously negative:
Neither will the imitator know, nor opine rightly concerning the nobil-
ity or vulgarity of his imitations.... On this issue, then, as it seems,
we clearly agree that the imitator knows nothing worth mentioning of
what he imitates, and that imitation is not serious. (602a8– 9, 602b6 – 8)Does Plato’s own condemnation of image-makers amount to a self-
condemnation? In book 5, the reader is warned that those who trade
in images rather than the realities they image may be likened to those
who sleep and merely dream (476c2– 8). Is it, then, that Plato intended
his Republic simply to lull us to sleep and false dreams, like Descartes’
malin genie?