Three Metals In Plato's The Republic

In Plato’s The Republic, Plato uses a central story, the myth of the three metals, to illustrate his overall philosophy that a just society is one in which all citizens fulfill their assigned roles and responsibilities. Socrates tells the myth of the three metals to Adeimantus and Glaucon because he believes that citizens’ familiarity with the myth will promote loyalty and enforce society’s three tier system. According to the myth of the three metals, Mother Nature created all human beings by utilizing one of three different metals: gold, silver, and iron/bronze. The metal used to create each person defines the role he or she will assume in society. Gold represents the guardians, who are governed by reason, making them suitable to rule. Silver depicts the auxiliaries, who are guided by their spirit, predisposing them to be guards. The

For Plato, each metal represents a specific class in society: “ ‘but the god who made you mixed some gold into those who are adequately equipped to rule, because they are most valuable. He put silver in those who are auxiliaries and iron and bronze in the farmers and other craftsmen.’ ” (415a). This class system is a tiered system: gold is clearly on the top, silver is in the middle and iron or bronze is at the bottom. Plato argues that this tiered system will create a just society. In order for this ideal society to function properly, the metals must work together toward one goal. Additionally, Plato broadens the myth of the three metals to represent individual peoples as well as society as a whole. The three metals represent more than just social class. Plato contends that the metals are an extension of the inner character of people in the society. Therefore, society will run perfectly when individual citizens are aware of who they are and accept their given role in