quote · Source-linked selection
the beginning is the most important part of any work
the beginning is the most important part of any work
Approximate author period: c. 387 BC · classical
Editorial context: Plato is the author of the dialogue; Socrates speaks in this passage. This is the wording of the identified translation, not an independently preserved transcript.
Individually source-checked reading
Read the idea
The immediate subject is education: the stories and assumptions introduced early can shape later judgement. Read this as a reason to examine the starting premises of a habit, project or belief, rather than as a guarantee that a perfect beginning will ensure success. The surrounding dialogue goes on to argue for censoring stories told to children. That controversial conclusion should remain visible and open to criticism; the observation about formative beginnings does not require endorsing every educational or political proposal in the Republic.
A question worth asking
Which assumption entered your thinking early, and would you still accept it after examining its reasons today?
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation, separate from the quoted passage. Plato is the author of the dialogue; Socrates speaks in this passage. This is the wording of the identified translation, not an independently preserved transcript.
Read the translation and source notes ↗Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Plato
Attribution: attributed - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Approximate author period: c. 387 BC · classical
Approximate historical context for attribution to Plato, based on life years -427 to -347. Opening discussion dates Plato circa 427–347 BCE. Ancient life years and the resulting grouping point are approximate, not independently verified dates for attributed quotations. Source: Plato on Knowledge in the Theaetetus — Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-theaetetus/ (checked 2026-10-09). This does not establish the composition date or authenticate the attribution of these words. Source: https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-theaetetus/ (accessed 2026-10-09).
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- The Republic
Book II; the passage beginning “You know also that the beginning” in the discussion of the guardians’ education
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
The voice behind the words.
Author attribution printed in a contributor-provided reference. Basic identity; lifetime and independent quotation authenticity are not established here.
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