{"product_id":"platos-laws-books-i-jason-kassel-9781968044688","title":"Plato's Laws (Books I \u0026 II): The Puppet, the Lawgiver, and the War Within","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this conceptually faithful and dramatically structured translation of \u003ci\u003ePlato's Laws\u003c\/i\u003e, Books I and II are revealed not as a dry legal treatise, but as an urgent philosophical walk toward the foundations of law, education, and internal self-rule. Three elderly men-an Athenian stranger, a Spartan, and a Cretan-walk across the sunlit fields of Crete while discussing the war within the soul, the education of desire, and the nature of divine and human law.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRather than translating only the content, this edition rebuilds the \u003cb\u003estructure of Plato's thinking\u003c\/b\u003e. Every metaphor is preserved and elevated. Key concepts are capitalized and rhythmically organized: \u003ci\u003eGolden-Cord\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFear-Potion\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eSelf-Superior\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eModel-Of-Virtue\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ePuppet-Of-The-Gods\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eLawgiver\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eDrinking-Festival\u003c\/i\u003e. The result is a translation that can be read aloud like a philosophical play-anchored in conceptual precision and poetic cadence.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eKey themes explored in this edition\u003c\/b\u003e: \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eHuman beings as \u003cb\u003ePuppets of the Gods\u003c\/b\u003e, torn between pleasure, pain, and reason\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cb\u003eLawgiver\u003c\/b\u003e as physician, tasked with ordering citizens from youth to death through rhythm, reward, and reflection\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe dangers of legislating only for courage while ignoring temperance, wisdom, and pleasure's power\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe importance of \u003cb\u003edrinking festivals and Dionysian testing\u003c\/b\u003e to reveal a city's inner balance\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation as orientation: how children must be trained through play, rhythm, and symbolic imitation to become self-governing souls\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is \u003ci\u003ePlato for those who teach, create, legislate, or imagine\u003c\/i\u003e. Whether you're a political philosopher, educator, poet, or student of spiritual psychology, this edition provides a living dialogue-inviting you to walk beside Plato's characters as they invent law from the ground up.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eDesigned for clarity without compromise\u003c\/b\u003e, this translation avoids archaism and avoids dumbing-down. It is part of the \u003ci\u003ePoetic Philosophy Presents\u003c\/i\u003e series, which restores ancient texts as living dramatic structures-each one a metaphysical offering in rhythm and thought.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIf \u003ci\u003eRepublic\u003c\/i\u003e is the dream of justice, \u003ci\u003eLaws\u003c\/i\u003e is its reckoning. This is where Plato begins to write law not just for a city-but for a soul at war with itself.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Jason Kassel,Plato\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 196804468X\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781968044688\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Recursive Publishing\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 06\/27\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 118\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eWeight:\u003c\/b\u003e 0.48lbs\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 10.00h x 7.00w x 0.25d","brand":"Jason Kassel","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":48997332549887,"sku":"9781968044688","price":12.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/platos-laws-books-i-jason-kassel-9781968044688","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}