Ring Of Gyges

The Ring of Gyges (, ''Gúgou Daktúlios'', ) is a hypothetical magic ring mentioned by the philosopher Plato in Book 2 of his ''Republic'' (2:359a–2:360d). It grants its owner the power to become invisible at will. Using the ring as an example, this section of the ''Republic'' considers whether a rational, intelligent person who has no need to fear negative consequences for committing an injustice would nevertheless act justly.

The legends

Gyges of Lydia was a historical king, the founder of the Mermnad dynasty of Lydian kings. Various ancient works—the most well-known being '' The Histories'' of Herodotus—gave different accounts of the circumstances of his acquisition of power. All, however, agree in asserting that he was originally a subordinate of King Candaules of Lydia, that he killed Candaules and seized the throne, and that he had either seduced Candaules' Queen before killing him, married her afterwards, or both.

In the recounting of the myth by Glaucon (Plato's older brother, as a character of the ''Republic''), an unnamed ancestor of Gyges was a shepherd in the service of the king of Lydia. After an earthquake, a chasm was revealed in a mountainside where he was feeding his flock. Entering the chasm, he discovered that it was in fact a tomb with a bronze horse containing a corpse, larger than that of a man, who wore a golden ring, which he then pocketed. He discovered that by adjusting the ring, he gained the power of invisibility. He then arranged to become one of the king's messengers as to the status of the flocks. Arriving at the palace, he used his new power of invisibility to seduce the queen, and with her help, murder the king, and become king of Lydia himself.

The role of the legend in Plato's ''Republic''

In the ''Republic'', the tale of the ring of Gyges is described by the character of Glaucon, the brother of Plato. Glaucon asks whether any man could be so virtuous that he may resist the temptation of killing, robbing, raping, or generally doing injustice to whomever he pleased if he could do so remaining undetected. Glaucon wants Socrates to argue that it is beneficial for us to be just, independent of any consideration for our reputation.

Glaucon posits:

Though his answer to Glaucon's challenge is delayed, Socrates argues ultimately that justice does not derive from this social construct: the man who abused the power of the Ring of Gyges has in fact enslaved himself to his appetites, while the man who chose not to use it remains rationally in control of himself and is therefore happy (Republic 10:612b).

Cultural influences

* Cicero retells the story of Gyges in ''De Officiis'' to illustrate his thesis that a wise or good individual bases decisions on a fear of moral degradation as opposed to punishment or negative consequences. Cicero follows with a discussion of the role of thought experiments in philosophy. The hypothetical situation in question is complete immunity from punishment of the kind afforded to Gyges by his ring.
* J.R.R. Tolkien was familiar with Plato's myth and had possibly read part of the story's original text in Ancient Greek; the fable influenced his writing of his literary masterpiece ''The Lord of the Rings''.

See also

* Helm of Hades

References

External links

Plato, ''Republic''
Book 2, translated by Benjamin Jowett (1892).
''The Ring of Gyges''
Analysis by Bernard Suzanne (1996).

{{Greek religion, state=collapsed

Fiction about invisibility
Gyges of Lydia
Individual rings
Legendary objects
Magic rings
Republic (Plato)
Thought experiments in ethics