Q0434
“The heaviest penalty is to be ruled by someone worse than oneself.” — Plato (Republic I 347d (and related))
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Republic I 347d (and related). Theme: responsibility.
English
The heaviest penalty is to be ruled by someone worse than oneself.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Republic I 347d (and related) and files it under Platonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Plato
Plato (c. 428/427–348/347 BCE) was an Athenian of high birth, a devoted associate of Socrates, and the founder of the Academy.
How to read this passage
Philosophical debates cover free will, blame, collective responsibility, and duties to distant others. Technology and AI revive the question of who is accountable when systems act. This passage enters that discussion through responsibility, politics.
Concepts in this quote
- Responsibility
- Responsibility asks what we answer for—our choices, omissions, institutions, and the futures we help create.
- Politics
- Politics appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat politics as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Plato. (n.d.). The heaviest penalty is to be ruled by someone worse than oneself. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0434
MLA: Plato. “The heaviest penalty is to be ruled by….” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0434.
Chicago: Plato. “The heaviest penalty is to be ruled by….” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0434.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “The heaviest penalty is to be ruled by…”?
The passage is attributed to Plato, Republic I 347d (and related). The archive attributes this English wording to Republic I 347d (and related) and files it under Platonism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Plato mean by responsibility?
Philosophical debates cover free will, blame, collective responsibility, and duties to distant others. Technology and AI revive the question of who is accountable when systems act. This passage enters that discussion through responsibility, politics.