How we cite our quotes: Stephanus pagination (the standardized way in which every text of Plato is divided). Every edition and translation will have this pagination in the margins.
Quote #7
"We'll beg Homer and the other poets not to be harsh if we strike out these and all similar things. It's not that they are not poetic and sweet for the many to hear, but the more poetic they are, the less should they be heard by boys and men who must be free and accustomed to fearing slavery more than death." (387b)
Socrates says that his desire to censor most of Greek poetry is completely reasonable. He worries that the power of poetry, particularly beautiful poetry, totally overwhelms people and makes them unable to make the right choices.
Quote #8
"From Homer too... one learns things very much of this sort. For you know that, during the campaign... he doesn't feast them on fish... but only roasted [meats], which would be especially easy for soldiers to come by..." (404b-c)
All right, sometimes Socrates thinks Homer has good things to say. In this case, Socrates is down with Homer's depiction of the diets of soldiers. Fish is too complicated, but meat makes sense. Well... okay, that's one thing to read for, we guess. But let's just say we wouldn't advise taking the Socrates approach when writing your next term paper on The Great Gatsby.
Quote #9
"Therefore... because the tragic poets are wise they pardon us, and all those who have regimes resembling ours, for not admitting them into the regime on the ground that they make hymns to tyranny." (568b)
Socrates is 100% against tyranny, so goodbye to tragedy, which is a genre that tends to depict a lot of bad rulers. If Socrates's new city is going to start out right, there can't be any of that going on, even on the stage.