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The Ship of State is an ancient and oft-cited metaphor, famously expounded by Plato in the Republic (Book 6, 488a–489d), which likens the governance of a city-state to the command of a vessel.[1][2] Plato expands the established metaphor and ultimately argues that the only people fit to be captain of the ship (Greek: ναῦς) are philosopher kings, benevolent men with absolute power who have access to the Form of the Good. The origins of the metaphor can be traced back to the lyric poet Alcaeus (fragments 6, 208, 249), and it is also found in Aeschylus' Seven Against Thebes, Sophocles' Antigone and Aristophanes' Wasps before Plato.
During the Renaissance Sebastian Brant amplified and reworked Plato's text in a satirical book The Ship of Fools (Das Narrenschiff,1494) which was translated soon in Latin, French and English
^Brock, Roger (2013-05-23). Greek Political Imagery from Homer to Aristotle. A&C Black. p. 58. ISBN 978-1-4725-0218-6.
^Santas, Gerasimos (2008-04-15). "Chapter 10: Plato and the Ship of State by David Keyt". The Blackwell Guide to Plato's Republic. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 189–214. ISBN 978-1-4051-5025-5.
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state. A ship is subject to the law of its flag state. It is usual to say that the ship sails under the flag of the country of registration. A ship's...
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clipper ship Golden State (schooner), a 1913 American sailing ship William F. Garms, a 1901 American sailing ship later renamed Golden State Golden State (train)...
(country), a country in the Caucasus region of southeastern Europe and West Asia Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeast United States Georgia may...
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captain goes down with the ship" is a maritime tradition that a sea captain holds the ultimate responsibility for both the ship and everyone embarked on...
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Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing. Unlike ocean liners, which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on...
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The shipof fools (Modern German: Das Narrenschiff, Latin: Stultifera Navis), is an allegory, first appearing in Book VI of Plato's Republic, about a...
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