ENGLISH LITERATURE (CBSE/UGC NET)

Detailed explanation-1: -The discussion between Socrates and Polemarchus follows (331d-336b). Polemarchus claims that justice is helping one’s friends and harming one’s enemies and that this is what one owes people (332c).

Detailed explanation-2: -Polemarchus’s view: justice is “to give to each man what is proper to him” or “what is due” = “to benefit one’s friends and harm one’s enemies” (332d).

Detailed explanation-3: -According to him ‘justice consists in speaking the truth and paying one’s debt. Thus Cephalus identifies justice with right conduct. Polemarchus also holds the same view of justice but with a little alteration. According to him “justice seems to consist in giving what is proper to him".

Detailed explanation-4: -Socrates argues that Polemarchus’ account of justice implies that justice is not especially valuable and moreover that it is a craft of stealing. Since Polemarchus does not think either of those implications is true, Socrates argues, his definition must be false.

Detailed explanation-5: -Further, Plato argues, justice is a master virtue in a sense, because in both the city and the psyche, if each part is doing its own job, both city and psyche will also have wisdom, courage, and moderation or self-discipline.