sion of labor, the soldiers must be full time and it has to be their only profession. The guardians, according to Plato must be in a great physical condition and must be “spirited.” They have to be gentle and kind to their own people and must be specially trained for that purpose. The guardian’s education must consist of physical training for the body and music and poetry for the soul. The stories taught to the guardians must be true. The stories about gods that include fighting, plotting against one another should not be allowed because of the fact that guardians might take example from them and eventually turn against their own city. The gods must be represented as they truly are; as the creators of all good things, as fairest and best in their own image, as absolutely true and just. According to Plato just, as education is important for the guardians their life style should include many sacrifices for the good of the city. The guardians should have no property; their pay should only meet their expenses, have common meals, and never marry. Plato implies that if they ever acquire houses, lands, or money of their own, they will become householders and tradesmen instead of guardians, enemies and tyrants instead of helpers, and that would lead to the destruction of the city. In Plato’s ideal polis, the charge of the city belongs to the wisest citizens, who understand justice; how both the city and the individual ought to be arranged. The true ruler would be philosopher, “lover of knowledge” and a king. He ought to be a lover of the vision of truth, a lover of wisdom, as opposed to lover of opinion. Another very important aspect of Plato’s perfect polis is the fact that it not only contains justice but also other virtues, like wisdom, courage, and moderation or self-discipline. Wisdom Plato suggests is a general kind of knowledge; it is a good judgment about the city as a whole and main...
