DIVINE EPIPHANY AND POLITICAL AUTHORITY IN PLATO'S REPUBLIC

This article offers a new interpretation of the second 'theological' pattern in Plato's Republic. Situating Plato within his religious context, it argues that this pat-tern calls into question the traditional ancient model of divine epiphany. Divine epiph-any was a central element in Greek religion. Yet, in the absence of a centralized religious organization, this model threatened the philosophers' authoritative position. Plato's second pattern seeks not only to undermine this potential threat but also to pave the way towards a new, philosophical model of divine epiphany, thus further establish-ing the philosophers' authority and legitimacy within and outside his ideal city.