Flat Black

[Icelander]

Originally Posted by Brett

There exists, in principle, a possibility that I might have read The Republic.

Oh, surely not! ;)

Such extravagant speculation! It is sheer irresponsibility, the most ephemeral flight of fancy; a supposition which can rest on no more solid foundations than airs and vapours.

Incidentally, the irony of the work's Latin title and the later meaning of that phrase in modern languages has always titilated me somewhat. Whatever Plato's Republic is, it is no republic. ;)

But then, I suppose that since most places that refer to themselves as being some variation of 'The People's Democratic Republic' can confidently be assumed to be none of these things, we should not be especially surprised to find an ancient example of this phenomenon, however accidental.