Topics: Compare and contrast Books II and V of Plato’s Republic in the context of both the whole of Republic (i.e., how do these books relate to its overall project) and the whole of the course (i.e., how do these books relate to the foundation of ancient political philosophy?). Choose your own adventure. Write an essay on a topic of your choosing using one or several of the works studied this term. To use this option, you must propose your essay question and thesis statement to your TA and have his/her approval by no later than Monday, November 28th. Guidelines: The essay is to be a minimum of ten (10) double-spaced pages to a maximum of twelve (12) pages. Marks will be deducted for papers that are too short or too long. Number your pages. Staple your assignment. The essay must have an identifiable argument/thesis statement. For additional guidance, please refer to the “Essay Evaluation Criteria” document posted to CULearn. Documentation: You may use endnotes, footnotes or internal notes, but you must use a conventional citation form (e.g., Chicago, MLA) and must be consistent in your usage. Please note that the standard convention for citing ancient sources is to refer to the passage or stephanus numbers (e.g. 327c). Because we will recognize it when we see it, documenting your own lecture notes is not necessary. You are only to use the sources listed on the syllabus or your lecture/tutorial notes. You may only use other sources with the written consent of your TA. Late Policy: Papers must be handed directly to the instructor in class. Late assignments may be submitted to the drop box in the corridor outside B640 Loeb. Assignments will be retrieved every business day at 4 p.m., stamped with that day’s date, and then distributed to the instructor. Please note that assignments sent via email or CULearn will not be accepted. A penalty of one half (0.5) percent (of the course grade) will be imposed per day on all late papers not excused by written documentation such as a doctor’s certificate. Unless you have documentation proving that serious unforeseen circumstances, such as illness or family affliction, have arisen, you can expect the penalty to be fairly and consistently applied. If you work on a computer, print often and back up files often. Plagiarism: Plagiarism is a serious academic offense. Plagiarism means presenting an author’s words or ideas as your own. All exact quotations must be in quotation marks and referenced clearly. Paraphrases must be clearly referenced as well.