# Cephalus — The Republic character guide

> Cephalus in The Republic by Plato.

**Role:** major

**First appearance:** 0005-persons-of-the-dialogue

## Snapshot

An aged metic garlanded from sacrifice, who greets Socrates with talk of old age and the fading of bodily pleasures.

## Who they are

Cephalus is the wealthy old man whose house hosts the conversation, and his contentment rests on a lifetime of paying debts and telling the truth. He speaks movingly of how conversation replaces desire as the body weakens, and of the fear that comes to those who have wronged others. His simple definition of justice as honesty and repayment is the first to fall, and its fall opens the question the rest of the book must answer.

## Relationships

### [Socrates](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters/socrates)

_social_

Cephalus is the elderly host who begins the conversation with Socrates about old age and justice before retiring from the discussion.

### [Polemarchus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters/polemarchus)

_family_

Cephalus is the father of Polemarchus, and the dialogue takes place in his house, which he leaves to his son.

### [Thrasymachus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters/thrasymachus)

_social_

They are both present at the gathering, but Cephalus departs before Thrasymachus's major outburst and debate.

### [Cleitophon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters/cleitophon)

_social_

They are both guests in Cephalus's own home, part of the same social circle gathered for the festival.

### [Glaucon](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters/glaucon)

_social_

Cephalus is the elderly host to Glaucon, who is a guest and primary participant in the dialogue that follows.

### [Adeimantus](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters/adeimantus)

_social_

Adeimantus is a guest in the house of Cephalus, engaging in the conversation after the elder man has retired.

## In the story

### [Book I](https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/chapters/book-i)

Elderly host; discusses the comforts of wealth and old age, and gives the first definition of justice as truth-telling and debt-paying.

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters/cephalus
- Book: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497
- All characters: https://www.betterreads.dev/discover/1497/characters