Page 80 - STOLEN LEGACY By George G. M. James

Furthermore, according to Roger's Students History of Philosophy p. 78, it is stated that although
Plato might have drawn heavily upon the reminiscences of Socrates, whose lectures he attended:
yet the subject matter of the Republic is a more carefully reasoned system of philosophy, than
can be easily attributed to Socrates. 'That the whole volume is a cumulative argument into which
there are subtly interwoven opinions on almost every subject of philosophical importance.

It is obvious that modern scholarship doubts that Plato drew the subject matter of the Republic
from Socrates, and is inclined to attribute authorship to Plato himself. If however, we take into
consideration the fact that the subject matter of the Republic was in circulation long before the
time of Plato: for Protagoras is supposed to have lived from 481–411 B.C. and Plato, from 427–
347 B.C., reason forbids the assignment of the authorship to Plato.

But the important question remains: From what source did Protagoras draw the ideas of the
Republic which were circulated in the Controversies?

Textbooks on Greek philosophy tell us that Protagoras was a pupil of Democritus; but when we
turn to the writings of Democritus we are unable to discover any connection between them and
the (a) educational system and the (b) paternal government which are advocated in the Republic.

This fact forces us to the conclusion that the subject matter of Plato's Republic was neither
produced by Plato, nor any Greek philosopher.

(C) The Authorship of Timaeus.

According also to Diogenes Laertius Book VIII p. 399–401, when Plato visited Dionysius at
Sicily, he paid Philolaus, a Pythagorean, 40 Alexandrian Minae of silver, for a book, from which
he copied the whole contents of the Timaeus.

Under these circumstances it is clear that Plato wrote neither the Republic nor the Timaeus,
whose subject matter identifies them with the purpose of the Mysteries of Egypt. (Roger's
Students Hist. of Philosophy p. 76; 78; and 104). (Zeller's Hist. of Philosophy: Introduction p. 13
and 103). (Wm. Turner's Hist. of Philosophy p. 79 and 95). (Plato; Apology, Crito, and Phaedo).
(Xenophon: Memorabilia; Strabo; Ancient Mysteries by C. H. Vail). (Clement: Stromata Bk. V.
C. 7 and 9).

VI. The Chariot was not a culture pattern of the Greeks, at the time of Plato, nor was it used by
them in warfare:

Greek culture and traditions did not furnish Plato with the idea of the chariot and winged steeds,
for nowhere in their brief military history, (i.e., up to the time of Plato) do we find the use of
such a war machine by the Greeks.

79

Stolen Legacy: Greek Philosophy is Stolen Egyptian Philosophy by George G. M. James
The Journal of Pan African Studies 2009 eBook