From Fear to Injustice through Forgetfulness. Why the Just Ruler Must Have a Good Memory

Abstract

In the Republic’s first conversation, Cephalus admits that he fears the death’s proximity of death due to the myths told about the Hades by the poets. Fear makes men forget what is just. For guardians and future rulers, this danger is more severe than for any other citizen. Plato criticizes poetry, imposes education children and guardians and establishes three tests for the candidates for philosopher-kings, in order to fix in the soul what is fearsome, so that fear of death does not let them forget what is right. The following paper analyses the relationship between courage, shame, memory, and justice.