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  1  Gorg|                                    Gorgias~
  2  Gorg|             Like the Phaedrus, the Gorgias has puzzled students of
  3  Gorg|         definition of his art from Gorgias, Socrates assumes the existence
  4  Gorg|            the three characters of Gorgias, Polus, and Callicles respectively
  5  Gorg|    Socrates is deferential towards Gorgias, playful and yet cutting
  6  Gorg|            is no answer given, for Gorgias is soon made to contradict
  7  Gorg|        which are assigned to them. Gorgias is the great rhetorician,
  8  Gorg|            have taken the place of Gorgias under the pretext that the
  9  Gorg|          required conclusion. Like Gorgias, he is overthrown because
 10  Gorg|         the power, in the words of Gorgias, of being ‘as long as he
 11  Gorg|       argument by the authority of Gorgias. Once, when Socrates is
 12  Gorg|         words.~The Socrates of the Gorgias may be compared with the
 13  Gorg|            missed an exhibition of Gorgias, which he regrets, because
 14  Gorg|           desirous, not of hearing Gorgias display his rhetoric, but
 15  Gorg|            to his own house, where Gorgias is staying. There they find
 16  Gorg|      cobbler.’~Polus suggests that Gorgias may be tired, and desires
 17  Gorg|            answer for him. ‘Who is Gorgias?’ asks Chaerephon, imitating
 18  Gorg|            the art, and remarks to Gorgias, that Polus has learnt how
 19  Gorg|           question. He wishes that Gorgias would answer him. Gorgias
 20  Gorg|          Gorgias would answer him. Gorgias is willing enough, and replies
 21  Gorg|         rhetoric differ from them? Gorgias draws a distinction between
 22  Gorg|      geometry, rhetoric. But still Gorgias could hardly have meant
 23  Gorg|        human things.’ But tell me, Gorgias, what are the best? ‘Health
 24  Gorg|        about odd and even numbers. Gorgias is made to see the necessity
 25  Gorg|          or the general. How would Gorgias explain this phenomenon?
 26  Gorg|      persuade or advise the state?~Gorgias illustrates the nature of
 27  Gorg|         before he replies, whether Gorgias will quarrel with him if
 28  Gorg|           who loves to be refuted. Gorgias declares that he is quite
 29  Gorg|           inconsistency into which Gorgias appears to have fallen,
 30  Gorg|   rhetorician has been declared by Gorgias to be more persuasive to
 31  Gorg|    ignorance of his is regarded by Gorgias as a happy condition, for
 32  Gorg|           of medicine or building? Gorgias is compelled to admit that
 33  Gorg|      rhetoric is a just thing. But Gorgias has already admitted the
 34  Gorg|            unintelligible, both to Gorgias and Polus; and, in order
 35  Gorg|            Callicles answers, that Gorgias was overthrown because,
 36  Gorg|   knowledge, good-will, frankness; Gorgias and Polus, although learned
 37  Gorg|            by the interposition of Gorgias. Socrates, having already
 38  Gorg|          than to suffer wrong, and Gorgias was right in saying that
 39  Gorg|          are enveloped.~(1) In the Gorgias, as in nearly all the other
 40  Gorg|       discovered in the answers of Gorgias (see above). The advantages
 41  Gorg| consequences. Nor can Plato in the Gorgias be deemed purely self-regarding,
 42  Gorg|          partly corrective. In the Gorgias, as well as in the Phaedo
 43  Gorg|            The main purpose of the Gorgias is not to answer questions
 44  Gorg| description of the just man in the Gorgias, or in the companion portrait
 45  Gorg|     suggest themselves between the Gorgias and other dialogues, especially
 46  Gorg|          and training of which the Gorgias suggests the necessity.
 47  Gorg|           be compared with that of Gorgias, but the conception of happiness
 48  Gorg| accumulated pleasure, while in the Gorgias, and in the Phaedo, pleasure
 49  Gorg|       completely opposed as in the Gorgias. For innocent pleasures,
 50  Gorg|          of goods. The allusion to Gorgias’ definition of rhetoric (
 51  Gorg|  antagonism to public opinion, the Gorgias most nearly resembles the
 52  Gorg|      criticising the characters of Gorgias and Polus, we are not passing
 53  Gorg|      characteristic feature of the Gorgias is the assertion of the
 54  Gorg|          more ironical than in the Gorgias. He hardly troubles himself
 55  Gorg|        seriously the objections of Gorgias and Polus, and therefore
 56  Gorg|          who, like Socrates in the Gorgias, find fault with all statesmen
 57  Gorg|          spirit he declares in the Gorgias that the stately muse of
 58  Gorg|           in the Phaedrus, Phaedo, Gorgias, and Republic. That in the
 59  Gorg|       contained in the Phaedo, the Gorgias and the Republic, relate
 60  Gorg|             not improved, from the Gorgias: the argument personified
 61  Gorg|         forgotten.~The myth in the Gorgias is one of those descriptions
 62  Gorg|                                    GORGIAS~PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE:
 63  Gorg|   Callicles, Socrates, Chaerephon, Gorgias, Polus.~SCENE: The house
 64  Gorg|            a delightful feast; for Gorgias has just been exhibiting
 65  Gorg|            I will also repair; for Gorgias is a friend of mine, and
 66  Gorg|         does Socrates want to hear Gorgias?~CHAEREPHON: Yes, that was
 67  Gorg|           into my house, then; for Gorgias is staying with me, and
 68  Gorg|         and will ask him: Tell me, Gorgias, is our friend Callicles
 69  Gorg|     questions which you are asked?~GORGIAS: Quite right, Chaerephon:
 70  Gorg|            you must be very ready, Gorgias.~GORGIAS: Of that, Chaerephon,
 71  Gorg|            be very ready, Gorgias.~GORGIAS: Of that, Chaerephon, you
 72  Gorg|           me too, for I think that Gorgias, who has been talking a
 73  Gorg|         you can answer better than Gorgias?~POLUS: What does that matter
 74  Gorg|            My question is this: If Gorgias had the skill of his brother
 75  Gorg|          best arts. And our friend Gorgias is one of the best, and
 76  Gorg|          to make a capital speech, Gorgias; but he is not fulfilling
 77  Gorg|       which he made to Chaerephon.~GORGIAS: What do you mean, Socrates?~
 78  Gorg|       question which he was asked.~GORGIAS: Then why not ask him yourself?~
 79  Gorg|         you what was the art which Gorgias knows, you praised it as
 80  Gorg|           name we were to describe Gorgias. And I would still beg you
 81  Gorg|          and what we ought to call Gorgias: Or rather, Gorgias, let
 82  Gorg|           call Gorgias: Or rather, Gorgias, let me turn to you, and
 83  Gorg|         the art which you profess?~GORGIAS: Rhetoric, Socrates, is
 84  Gorg|            call you a rhetorician?~GORGIAS: Yes, Socrates, and a good
 85  Gorg|            I should wish to do so.~GORGIAS: Then pray do.~SOCRATES:
 86  Gorg|            other men rhetoricians?~GORGIAS: Yes, that is exactly what
 87  Gorg|          ask and answer questions, Gorgias, as we are at present doing,
 88  Gorg|            which are asked of you?~GORGIAS: Some answers, Socrates,
 89  Gorg|            That is what is wanted, Gorgias; exhibit the shorter method
 90  Gorg|            one at some other time.~GORGIAS: Well, I will; and you will
 91  Gorg|            the making of garments?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And music
 92  Gorg|           composition of melodies?~GORGIAS: It is.~SOCRATES: By Here,
 93  Gorg|          It is.~SOCRATES: By Here, Gorgias, I admire the surpassing
 94  Gorg|           brevity of your answers.~GORGIAS: Yes, Socrates, I do think
 95  Gorg|        what is rhetoric concerned?~GORGIAS: With discourse.~SOCRATES:
 96  Gorg|            What sort of discourse, Gorgias?—such discourse as would
 97  Gorg|     treatment they might get well?~GORGIAS: No.~SOCRATES: Then rhetoric
 98  Gorg|            all kinds of discourse?~GORGIAS: Certainly not.~SOCRATES:
 99  Gorg|           makes men able to speak?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And to understand
100  Gorg|            about which they speak?~GORGIAS: Of course.~SOCRATES: But
101  Gorg|          and speak about the sick?~GORGIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: Then
102  Gorg|          also treats of discourse?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: Of discourse
103  Gorg|     discourse concerning diseases?~GORGIAS: Just so.~SOCRATES: And
104  Gorg|        evil condition of the body?~GORGIAS: Very true.~SOCRATES: And
105  Gorg|            SOCRATES: And the same, Gorgias, is true of the other arts:—
106  Gorg|         they severally have to do.~GORGIAS: Clearly.~SOCRATES: Then
107  Gorg|        call them arts of rhetoric?~GORGIAS: Because, Socrates, the
108  Gorg|         allow that there are arts?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: As to the
109  Gorg|          the province of rhetoric.~GORGIAS: You perfectly conceive
110  Gorg|           art of this latter sort?~GORGIAS: Exactly.~SOCRATES: And
111  Gorg|       captious might say, ‘And so, Gorgias, you call arithmetic rhetoric.’
112  Gorg|         would be so called by you.~GORGIAS: You are quite right, Socrates,
113  Gorg|          their relative swiftness.~GORGIAS: You would be quite right,
114  Gorg|          now let us have from you, Gorgias, the truth about rhetoric:
115  Gorg|       through the medium of words?~GORGIAS: True.~SOCRATES: Words which
116  Gorg|        which rhetoric uses relate?~GORGIAS: To the greatest, Socrates,
117  Gorg|      things.~SOCRATES: That again, Gorgias is ambiguous; I am still
118  Gorg|          wealth honestly obtained.~GORGIAS: Yes, I know the song; but
119  Gorg|   physician will say: ‘O Socrates, Gorgias is deceiving you, for my
120  Gorg|            be greatly surprised if Gorgias can show more good of his
121  Gorg|              he will say, ‘whether Gorgias or any one else can produce
122  Gorg|        rejoin: Yes; but our friend Gorgias contends that his art produces
123  Gorg|           and ask, ‘What good? Let Gorgias answer.’ Now I want you,
124  Gorg|           answer.’ Now I want you, Gorgias, to imagine that this question
125  Gorg|            the creator? Answer us.~GORGIAS: That good, Socrates, which
126  Gorg|           you consider this to be?~GORGIAS: What is there greater than
127  Gorg|             SOCRATES: Now I think, Gorgias, that you have very accurately
128  Gorg|           of producing persuasion?~GORGIAS: No: the definition seems
129  Gorg|            SOCRATES: Then hear me, Gorgias, for I am quite sure that
130  Gorg|        should say the same of you.~GORGIAS: What is coming, Socrates?~
131  Gorg|           where do you find them?’~GORGIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: And
132  Gorg|          paint many other figures?~GORGIAS: True.~SOCRATES: But if
133  Gorg|           have answered very well?~GORGIAS: Quite so.~SOCRATES: Now
134  Gorg|           which he teaches or not?~GORGIAS: He persuades, Socrates,—
135  Gorg|          the properties of number?~GORGIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: And
136  Gorg|     therefore persuade us of them?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: Then arithmetic
137  Gorg|           artificer of persuasion?~GORGIAS: Clearly.~SOCRATES: And
138  Gorg|         what sort, and about what.~GORGIAS: Very true.~SOCRATES: Then
139  Gorg|           artificer of persuasion?~GORGIAS: True.~SOCRATES: Seeing,
140  Gorg|           of putting the question?~GORGIAS: I think so.~SOCRATES: Then,
141  Gorg|          you approve the question, Gorgias, what is the answer?~GORGIAS:
142  Gorg|       Gorgias, what is the answer?~GORGIAS: I answer, Socrates, that
143  Gorg|        unjust.~SOCRATES: And that, Gorgias, was what I was suspecting
144  Gorg|            may be your hypothesis.~GORGIAS: I think that you are quite
145  Gorg|         thing as ‘having learned’?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And there
146  Gorg|            also ‘having believed’?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And is the ‘
147  Gorg|            belief the same things?~GORGIAS: In my judgment, Socrates,
148  Gorg|          to say to you, ‘Is there, Gorgias, a false belief as well
149  Gorg|           mistaken, that there is.~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: Well, but
150  Gorg|       knowledge as well as a true?~GORGIAS: No.~SOCRATES: No, indeed;
151  Gorg|       knowledge and belief differ.~GORGIAS: Very true.~SOCRATES: And
152  Gorg|            believed are persuaded?~GORGIAS: Just so.~SOCRATES: Shall
153  Gorg|         the other is of knowledge?~GORGIAS: By all means.~SOCRATES:
154  Gorg|        that which gives knowledge?~GORGIAS: Clearly, Socrates, that
155  Gorg|            instruction about them?~GORGIAS: True.~SOCRATES: And the
156  Gorg|           matters in a short time?~GORGIAS: Certainly not.~SOCRATES:
157  Gorg|     rhetoricians: what do you say, Gorgias? Since you profess to be
158  Gorg|          the use of coming to you, Gorgias?’ they will say—‘about what
159  Gorg|          How will you answer them?~GORGIAS: I like your way of leading
160  Gorg|             Such is the tradition, Gorgias, about Themistocles; and
161  Gorg|          us about the middle wall.~GORGIAS: And you will observe, Socrates,
162  Gorg|          that in my admiring mind, Gorgias, when I asked what is the
163  Gorg|          be a marvel of greatness.~GORGIAS: A marvel, indeed, Socrates,
164  Gorg|         instructor.~SOCRATES: You, Gorgias, like myself, have had great
165  Gorg|          let us make an end of it.~GORGIAS: I should say, Socrates,
166  Gorg|        hear the audience cheering, Gorgias and Socrates, which shows
167  Gorg|   Callicles, that I am willing, if Gorgias is.~GORGIAS: After all this,
168  Gorg|            willing, if Gorgias is.~GORGIAS: After all this, Socrates,
169  Gorg|    SOCRATES: Let me tell you then, Gorgias, what surprises me in your
170  Gorg|       learn of you, a rhetorician?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: Do you mean
171  Gorg|     instruction but by persuasion?~GORGIAS: Quite so.~SOCRATES: You
172  Gorg|        even in a matter of health?~GORGIAS: Yes, with the multitude,—
173  Gorg|      greater powers of persuasion.~GORGIAS: Very true.~SOCRATES: But
174  Gorg|           power than he who knows?~GORGIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: Although
175  Gorg|            not a physician:—is he?~GORGIAS: No.~SOCRATES: And he who
176  Gorg|          what the physician knows.~GORGIAS: Clearly.~SOCRATES: Then,
177  Gorg|            not that the inference?~GORGIAS: In the case supposed:—yes.~
178  Gorg|     knowledge than those who know?~GORGIAS: Yes, Socrates, and is not
179  Gorg|        about all this? By heavens, Gorgias, I wish that you would reveal
180  Gorg|        were saying that you would.~GORGIAS: Well, Socrates, I suppose
181  Gorg|          he must be taught by you.~GORGIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: Well,
182  Gorg|          carpentering a carpenter?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And he who
183  Gorg|          learned music a musician?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And he who
184  Gorg|           his knowledge makes him.~GORGIAS: Certainly.~SOCRATES: And
185  Gorg|      learned what is just is just?~GORGIAS: To be sure.~SOCRATES: And
186  Gorg|       supposed to do what is just?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And must
187  Gorg|         desire to do what is just?~GORGIAS: That is clearly the inference.~
188  Gorg|           consent to do injustice?~GORGIAS: Certainly not.~SOCRATES:
189  Gorg|    rhetorician must be a just man?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: And will
190  Gorg|           willing to do injustice?~GORGIAS: Clearly not.~SOCRATES:
191  Gorg|        banished—was not that said?~GORGIAS: Yes, it was.~SOCRATES:
192  Gorg|        have done injustice at all?~GORGIAS: True.~SOCRATES: And at
193  Gorg|            And at the very outset, Gorgias, it was said that rhetoric
194  Gorg|         unjust? Was not this said?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: I was thinking
195  Gorg|          do injustice. By the dog, Gorgias, there will be a great deal
196  Gorg|            rhetoric? What! because Gorgias was ashamed to deny that
197  Gorg|         actions: and now, if I and Gorgias are stumbling, here are
198  Gorg|            answer, like myself and Gorgias—refute and be refuted: for
199  Gorg|           would claim to know what Gorgias knows—would you not?~POLUS:
200  Gorg|            the same question which Gorgias, as you suppose, is unable
201  Gorg|           hesitate to answer, lest Gorgias should imagine that I am
202  Gorg|         that art of rhetoric which Gorgias practises I really cannot
203  Gorg|         not very creditable whole.~GORGIAS: A part of what, Socrates?
204  Gorg|      SOCRATES: In my opinion then, Gorgias, the whole of which rhetoric
205  Gorg|          what I was saying before.~GORGIAS: Indeed, Socrates, I cannot
206  Gorg|         SOCRATES: I do not wonder, Gorgias; for I have not as yet explained
207  Gorg|             which means ‘a colt.’)~GORGIAS: Never mind him, but explain
208  Gorg|            of bodies and of souls?~GORGIAS: Of course.~SOCRATES: You
209  Gorg|       condition of either of them?~GORGIAS: Yes.~SOCRATES: Which condition
210  Gorg|          not to be in good health.~GORGIAS: True.~SOCRATES: And this
211  Gorg|        health and not the reality?~GORGIAS: Yes, certainly.~SOCRATES:
212  Gorg|        himself of which he accused Gorgias:—for he said that when Gorgias
213  Gorg|     Gorgias:—for he said that when Gorgias was asked by you, whether,
214  Gorg|           would teach him justice, Gorgias in his modesty replied that
215  Gorg|     consequence of this admission, Gorgias was compelled to contradict
216  Gorg|           and these two strangers, Gorgias and Polus, are undoubtedly
217  Gorg|             why I scared Polus and Gorgias, until they were too modest
218  Gorg|    understand what you are saying.~GORGIAS: Nay, Callicles, answer,
219  Gorg|      argument out.~CALLICLES: Yes, Gorgias, but I must complain of
220  Gorg|            and unworthy questions.~GORGIAS: What matter? Your reputation,
221  Gorg|          peddling questions, since Gorgias wishes to have them.~SOCRATES:
222  Gorg|            of what I was saying to Gorgias and Polus; I was saying,
223  Gorg|       truth when I further said to Gorgias and Polus that cookery in
224  Gorg|         and shall oblige my friend Gorgias.~SOCRATES: And is this notion
225  Gorg|        hitherto out of civility to Gorgias.~SOCRATES: What are we to
226  Gorg|         leave off and go our ways.~GORGIAS: I think, Socrates, that
227  Gorg|           to say.~SOCRATES: I too, Gorgias, should have liked to continue
228  Gorg|         which, according to Polus, Gorgias admitted out of modesty,
229  Gorg|         see that you and Polus and Gorgias, who are the three wisest