Work

The Virtuous City

Opinions of the Inhabitants of the Virtuous City

Al-Farabi·Arabic

About this text

Al-Farabi's political masterwork. Imagines a city ruled by a philosopher-king who combines the functions of prophet and ruler, where citizens cooperate for happiness.

The virtuous city resembles the perfect and healthy body, all of whose limbs cooperate to make the life of the animal perfect. Just as the limbs of the body are different and their natural endowments unequal in excellence, so too with the parts of the city. There is one ruling organ: the heart. And from this organ arise the faculties that serve the other organs.

Full text not yet available.