Much political thinking today, particularly that influenced by libcralism, assumes a clear distinction between the public and the private, and holds that the correct understanding of this distinction should weigh heavily in our attitude to human goods. Raymond Geuss exposes the profound flaws of such thinking and calls for a more nuanced approach. Drawing on a series of colorful examples from the ancient world, he illustrates some of the many ways in which actions can in fact be understood as public or private.