This is a brief guide to help you navigate through Plato’s Republic.
Defining Justice
I.1. 327a—328b. Down to the Piraeus
I.2—I.5. 328b—331d. Cephalus. Justice of the Good Ol’ Boy
I.6—1.9. 331e—336a. Polemarchus. Justice of the Heir
I.10—1.24. 336b—354c. Thrasymachus. Justice of the Sophist
The Ring of Gyges
II.1—II.10. 357a—369b. Is Justice Better than Injustice?
Genesis and Order of the Polis
II.11—II.16. 369b—376e. Origin of the Polis
II.1—III.18. 376e—412b. Education of the Guardians
III.19—IV.5. 412b—427c. Constitution of the Polis
IV.6—IV.I9. 427c—445e. Justice in the Polis
Embodiment of the Idea
V.1—V.16. 449a—471c. Somatic Unit of Polis and Hellenes
V.17—VI.14. 471c—502c. Philosopher Kings
VI.19—VII.5. 502c—521c. The Allegory of the Cave
VII.6—VII.18. 521c—541b. Education of the Philosophers
Defective Forms of Polity
VIII.1—VIII.5. 543a—550c. Timocracy
VIII.6—VIII.9. 550c—555b. Oligarchy
VIII.10—VIII.13. 555b—562a. Democracy
VIII.I4—IX-3. 562a—576b. Tyranny
Conclusion
IX.4—IX.13. 576b—592b Answer: Justice is Better than Injustice
Epilogue
X.1—X.8. 595a—608b. Rejection of Mimetic Art
X.9—X.11. 608c—612a. Immortality of the Soul
X.12. 612a—613e. Rewards of Justice in Life
X.13—X.16. 613e—631d. The Myth of Er and the Judgment of the Dead
Taylor Marshall is the Adjunct Instructor in Philosophy at the University of Dallas. 
xkcd on Plato’s Cave:
http://xkcd.com/876/
For those of you wondering why a search and rescue team can’t be sent into Plato’s cave, here’s why: the search and rescue team would be murdered if the ‘victims’ manage to get their hands on them. 517a
Plato’s education of the philosopher sounds like college to the contemporary student. The only difference is that we don’t treat dialectic method as contradiction. =)
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