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philosopher-king n. a king (or member of a ruling elite) who seeks to apply philosophy in the exercising of power. [Plato in his Republic conceives an ideal city-state, ruled by philosopher kings. He does not have a specific word for these but says that such a state cannot come about unless: ἢ οἱ ϕιλόσοϕοι βασιλεύσωσιν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν ἢ οἱ βασιλῆς τε νῦν λεγόμενοι καὶ δυνάσται ϕιλοσοϕήσωσι γνησίως τε καὶ ἱκανῶς, ‘either philosophers become kings in our states or those now called kings and rulers undertake the pursuit of philosophy genuinely and adequately...’ Plato's concept was transmitted to the Middle Ages by Boethius ( Consolation of Philosophy 1. 4. 11) and is widespread in both ancient and modern writers. Among the rulers who have been compared with Plato's philosopher king are Marcus Aurelius, Constantine, Frederick the Great, and Napoleon.]