ABSTRACT
Plato's attitude toward the poets is bald and uncompromising: He wants no part of them. And though he takes no pleasure in his attitude, for he takes pleasure in poetry, he takes the attitude seriously. His argument in Book 10 of the Republic is neither exaggerated nor ironical. He does not rely on two different senses of "imitation" in order to exclude only that part of poetry that it might be thought reasonable to despise. He does not exploit a subtle distinction in order to retain serious poetry once he has succeeded in eliminating poetry that merely entertains. His proscription allows of no exceptions.
