The republic, refers to the practice of infanticide for diseased or disabled newborns.
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Welcome Louis Show The passage you are looking for is Republic, V. 460C: ‘removed from sight into some secret and hidden place’ (T. Griffith, Plato: The Republic, Cambridge: CUP, 2000: 158). The passage is odd in at least one respect. As Patterson comments: ‘Infanticide or exposure seems to be the intent, but why the cryptic language?’ (Cynthia Patterson , ‘"Not Worth the Rearing": The Causes of Infant Exposure in Ancient Greece’, Transactions of the American Philological Association (1974-2014), Vol. 115 (1985), pp. 103-123: 113.) It is not as if Plato were referring to some totally anomalous social innovation. Both practices were widespread in Ancient Greece. Strictly ‘infanticide’ – kill a child (paidoktoneo) and ‘exposure’ – leave a child without nutriment, shelter or protection (ektithemi) are not equivalent terms: the first implies a direct intention to kill the child, the second only foresees death as a probable result. In practice and in context, of course, they amount to the same thing. But just who are to be removed in this way? 1.The offspring of inferior guardiansPlato makes clear that not only in the interests in controlling the population size of the city but also in order to preserve the guardian class in a state of top excellence, sexual relations among the guardians are to be carefully regulated. All guardians are among the finest of humanity; they are ‘children of gold’ (R. III.414c-415d; Griffith: 107-8) but not all gold is of the same purity and excellence. There are ‘inferior guardians’. They are not to be demoted to one of the other two classes in the city but they are near the border of acceptability. On no account should their offspring be preserved among the guardian class; the inferior may produce the yet more inferior. (R.V 460C.) 2.The maimed or mutilatedThese offspring (of the inferior guardians) should be ‘removed from sight into some secret and hidden place’ – but not only such offspring. If by chance even the best among the guardians to anaperon (something maimed or mutilated) is born, it must share the same fate (R. V.460c). 3.The offspring of guardians outside the age-limitsAge-limits are set for optimal procreation: 20 – 40 for women, and for men 25 – 55 (R.V.460E; Griffith: 159: if, following Laws VI.772D rather than VI.721A, VI.785B, we take 25 as the age ‘when his days as a sprinter are behind him’). When elderly guardians, presumed safe from procreation, are allowed to engage in sexual activity Plato is aware that reproduction might result. ‘If there is a pregnancy, then ideally the embryo should never see the light of day’ (R.V.461C; Griffith: 159). The language here suggests abortion as does Shorey’s rendering of the phrase: ‘if they are unable to prevent a birth to dispose of it’ (Paul Shorey, Plato, Republic, I, Harvard: Loeb Library, 1930/ 1994: 467). No lost humanityI might add that it does not follow that the offspring who fall within these three categories are non-human [see textbox above], nor does Plato say or imply that they are. His idea is that as defective – human but defective – they are not worth rearing. This is harsh but not literally dehumanising. Read Online (Free) relies on page scans, which are not currently available to screen readers. To access this article, please contact JSTOR User Support . We'll provide a PDF copy for your screen reader. With a personal account, you can read up to 100 articles each month for free. Get StartedAlready have an account? Log in Monthly Plan
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journal article "Not Worth the Rearing": The Causes of Infant Exposure in Ancient GreeceTransactions of the American Philological Association (1974-2014) Vol. 115 (1985) , pp. 103-123 (21 pages) Published By: The Johns Hopkins University Press https://doi.org/10.2307/284192 https://www.jstor.org/stable/284192 Read and download Log in through your school or library Alternate access options For independent researchers Read Online Read 100 articles/month free Subscribe to JPASS Unlimited reading + 10 downloads Purchase article $24.00 - Download now and later Journal Information Transactions of the American Philological Association (TAPA) is the official research publication of the Society for Classical Studies (SCS). The SCS is a learned society of scholars of the culture and history of the Greek and Roman antiquity. As the flagship publication of one of the largest professional associations in the field of classical studies, TAPA reflects the wide range of research conducted by classicists. Consequently, TAPA includes contributions across the broad spectrum of contemporary methodology, from the most traditional to the most innovative. Publisher Information One of the largest publishers in the United States, the Johns Hopkins University Press combines traditional books and journals publishing units with cutting-edge service divisions that sustain diversity and independence among nonprofit, scholarly publishers, societies, and associations. Journals The Press is home to the largest journal publication program of any U.S.-based university press. The Journals Division publishes 85 journals in the arts and humanities, technology and medicine, higher education, history, political science, and library science. The division also manages membership services for more than 50 scholarly and professional associations and societies. Books With critically acclaimed titles in history, science, higher education, consumer health, humanities, classics, and public health, the Books Division publishes 150 new books each year and maintains a backlist in excess of 3,000 titles. With warehouses on three continents, worldwide sales representation, and a robust digital publishing program, the Books Division connects Hopkins authors to scholars, experts, and educational and research institutions around the world. Project MUSE® Project MUSE is a leading provider of digital humanities and social sciences content, providing access to journal and book content from nearly 300 publishers. MUSE delivers outstanding results to the scholarly community by maximizing revenues for publishers, providing value to libraries, and enabling access for scholars worldwide. Hopkins Fulfillment Services (HFS) HFS provides print and digital distribution for a distinguished list of university presses and nonprofit institutions. HFS clients enjoy state-of-the-art warehousing, real-time access to critical business data, accounts receivable management and collection, and unparalleled customer service. Rights & Usage This item is part of a JSTOR Collection. |
