Glaucon in his speech articulates his argument by telling a narrative about one of his ancestors, Gyges of Lydia. The narrative opens with a fierce storm which triggers a violent earthquake that rips the land into two parts forming a chasm. This massive chasm was formed right where Gyges was tending to his sheep. Moved with astonishment, he ventured down into the chasm. There, there were all types of magical things, but one unique object in particular caught the attention of Gyges. There was a hollow bronze horse and inside this horse was what appeared to be a human corpse. On the hand of this corpse was a gold ring on his ring finger. Gyges stole the ring and proceeded to leave the chasm. He wore the ring until the monthly meeting with the
…show more content…
The first thing that pops in to people minds when they hear this is the word everybody. The notion that there is not one individual that could fend off the mystical enticement of this ring I find challenging to imagine. The conclusion is so broad that just one example of a person remaining just and not becoming corrupted would make this conclusion false.
For example, people that give up material things wouldn’t be tempted to act unjustly by the ring. Religious people who have a sworn life of chastity and poverty would not take anything from anyone. I went to a Catholic high school that had religious brothers. They taught and lived on the campus so I know the, very well. Many brothers there would not use the ring but one in particular came to mind, Brother Paul. He dressed in the same clothes everyday and was living a life of chastity and poverty. He had no material things and his day would consist of teaching and prayer. If he was given the ring he would not use it, he would just put it away in a jewelry box in his room. He wouldn’t need it because he didn’t want wealth or material things in the first place so the ring wouldn’t corrupt him. The cause of corruption of the ring is the power it offers, but if you don’t want the power you would not use the
The first thing that pops in to people minds when they hear this is the word everybody. The notion that there is not one individual that could fend off the mystical enticement of this ring I find challenging to imagine. The conclusion is so broad that just one example of a person remaining just and not becoming corrupted would make this conclusion false.
For example, people that give up material things wouldn’t be tempted to act unjustly by the ring. Religious people who have a sworn life of chastity and poverty would not take anything from anyone. I went to a Catholic high school that had religious brothers. They taught and lived on the campus so I know the, very well. Many brothers there would not use the ring but one in particular came to mind, Brother Paul. He dressed in the same clothes everyday and was living a life of chastity and poverty. He had no material things and his day would consist of teaching and prayer. If he was given the ring he would not use it, he would just put it away in a jewelry box in his room. He wouldn’t need it because he didn’t want wealth or material things in the first place so the ring wouldn’t corrupt him. The cause of corruption of the ring is the power it offers, but if you don’t want the power you would not use the