Plato's Republic quote

[Munch]

I’ve been digging around at work for a quote from The Republic, but I’ll be darned if I remember where to look. I’m at work, and don’t have a copy handy.

I’m looking for Socrates’ opinion on why the best leaders are those who do not want the position, and are thrust into it by the population.

Gracias.

[toadspittle]

Here it is on-line, from a few sources:

http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/gutbook/lookup?num=1497

http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=plat.+rep.+327a

http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/PlaRepu.html

[Tusculan]

The passage you’re looking for is probably in Book VII, par. 519d:

“Do you mean to say that we must do them this wrong, and compel them to live an inferior life when the better is in their power?”

or 520a:

“Observe, then, Glaucon,” said I, “that we shall not be wronging, either, the philosophers who arise among us, but that we can justify our action when we constrain them to take charge of the other citizens and be their guardians.