The Soul and the Virtues in Proclus’ Commentary on the Republic of Plato

In the 7th essay of his Commentary on the Republic of Plato, Proclus supplies the elements of a fairly robust Neoplatonic political philosophy. In general he agrees with Plato’s account of the tripartite soul and the four cardinal virtues, while introducing important nuances into the theory. The idea of the dominance of one part of the soul over another, and the idea of ‘mixed lives’, where two parts dominate at once, extend Plato’s account of the various political types. Further, in his attempt to give various metaphysical explanations for the nature and number of the parts of the soul and the virtues, Proclus inserts Platonic political philosophy more or less whole-cloth into a Neoplatonic cosmic hierarch