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2 1 2 I n t e r p r e t a t i o n Volume 41 / Issue 3IV.The final discussion of the happiness of the city comes at the end of Socrates’sexplication of the Cave allegory (519b–521b). Socrates presents this allegoryto illustrate the manner in which the education of the future philosopherkings will progressively lead them up a dialectical path to the peak of wisdom:apprehension of the idea of the good (519c–d; see also 503e–506b and531d–535a). Socrates then remarks that these philosophers, now fully fledged,will not be allowed to do what philosophers who achieve wisdom in existingcities do: namely, spend the rest of their days living a private life devoted tothe pursuit of wisdom (519c–d; see 496a–e). On the contrary, philosophers inKallipolis, having attained wisdom, will then be compelled by law to descendback into the cave by sharing in the labors and honors of the city by ruling it.Glaucon objects: “What?” he asks. “Are we to do them an injustice, and makethem live a worse life when a better is possible for them?” (519d). Socratesresponds by reminding Glaucon that the purpose of the city’s institutions isnot the happiness of a part of the city but rather the happiness of the whole.My friend, you have again forgotten…that it’s not the concern of lawthat any one class in the city fare exceptionally well, 21 but it contrivesto bring this about in the city as a whole, harmonizing the citizensby persuasion and compulsion, making them share with one anotherthe benefit that each is able to bring to the commonwealth. And itproduces such men in the city not in order to let them turn whicheverway each wants, but in order that it may use them in binding the citytogether. (519e–520a)The nascent philosopher kings receive their education so that they might beof use to the city, though that education also equips them for the greatesthappiness. Because the happiness they could enjoy has been made possiblefor them by the city, it is therefore fair for the city to ask in return that philosophersabandon it and instead spend time ruling on occasion (520a–c).Nonetheless, both Socrates and Glaucon agree that the philosopher kingswill approach the task of ruling as something necessary (because fairlydemanded of them) but not good (because there is something else they couldbe doing that would make them happier) (520e–521b). They will “despisepolitical offices” because they “have other honors and a better life than thepolitical life” (521b).It should be clear that this final passage fails to resolve the ambiguitiesof the previous ones. In favor of a holistic reading, we see Socrates yet again21diapherontōs eu praxei, which is synonymous with 420b’s estai diapherontōs eudaimon.