Dialogue

  1 Intro|          and Critias, both of whom said a few words—in the presence
  2 Intro|     reproaches Pittacus for having said, ‘Hard is it to be good.’
  3 Intro|     noticed, in which the arts are said to be given by Prometheus (
  4  Prot|          Yes; and I have heard and said many things.~COMPANION:
  5  Prot|      asleep?~I knew his voice, and said: Hippocrates, is that you?
  6  Prot|            any news?~Good news, he said; nothing but good.~Delightful,
  7  Prot|            but good.~Delightful, I said; but what is the news? and
  8  Prot|           He drew nearer to me and said: Protagoras is come.~Yes,
  9  Prot|      arrival?~Yes, by the gods, he said; but not until yesterday
 10  Prot|            at my feet, and then he said: Yesterday quite late in
 11  Prot|         retire to rest, my brother said to me: Protagoras is come.
 12  Prot|     courageous madness of the man, said: What is the matter? Has
 13  Prot|            from me.~But, surely, I said, if you give him money,
 14  Prot|            Tell me, Hippocrates, I said, as you are going to Protagoras,
 15  Prot|            money, and some one had said to you: You are paying money
 16  Prot|            of you?~A physician, he said.~And if you were resolved
 17  Prot|             of course.~Well now, I said, you and I are going to
 18  Prot|      Sophist of me.~By the gods, I said, and are you not ashamed
 19  Prot|          to know them?~Just so, he said; and that, in my opinion,
 20  Prot|          teaching of Protagoras.~I said: I wonder whether you know
 21  Prot|      implies.~And might you not, I said, affirm this of the painter
 22  Prot|          disciple know?~Indeed, he said, I cannot tell.~Then I proceeded
 23  Prot|        food of the soul?~Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of
 24  Prot|         fellows? But, my friend, I said, you need not be alarmed;
 25  Prot|            up to Protagoras, and I said: Protagoras, my friend Hippocrates
 26  Prot|           see you.~Do you wish, he said, to speak with me alone,
 27  Prot|            Whichever you please, I said; you shall determine when
 28  Prot|           what is your purpose? he said.~I must explain, I said,
 29  Prot|            said.~I must explain, I said, that my friend Hippocrates
 30  Prot|           light of his admirers, I said: But why should we not summon
 31  Prot|          to hear us?~Very good, he said.~Suppose, said Callias,
 32  Prot|            good, he said.~Suppose, said Callias, that we hold a
 33  Prot|        were all seated, Protagoras said: Now that the company are
 34  Prot|       before.~When I heard this, I said: Protagoras, I do not at
 35  Prot|            a look at Hippias as he said this); but if he comes to
 36  Prot|             Do I understand you, I said; and is your meaning that
 37  Prot|   profession which I make.~Then, I said, you do indeed possess a
 38  Prot|            himself.~Well, then, he said, I think that the myth will
 39  Prot|       proper qualities. Epimetheus said to Prometheus: ‘Let me distribute,
 40  Prot|            life. But Prometheus is said to have been afterwards
 41  Prot|            them to all?’ ‘To all,’ said Zeus; ‘I should like them
 42  Prot|           understand what is being said to him: he cannot say or
 43  Prot|          looking at Hippocrates, I said to him: O son of Apollodorus,
 44  Prot|         one.~And are they parts, I said, in the same sense in which
 45  Prot|            others?~By no means, he said; for many a man is brave
 46  Prot|      different from one another? I said.~Yes.~And has each of them
 47  Prot|          that they differ.~Then, I said, no other part of virtue
 48  Prot|          he answered.~Well then, I said, suppose that you and I
 49  Prot|          yours also?~Mine also, he said.~And suppose that some one
 50  Prot|           against me?~With you, he said.~Thereupon I should answer
 51  Prot|             would not you?~Yes, he said.~And suppose that he went
 52  Prot|           am not mistaken?~Yes, he said.~Which you would also acknowledge
 53  Prot|            same way?~Certainly, he said.~And then after this suppose
 54  Prot|           You certainly heard that said, but not, as you imagine,
 55  Prot|          that he turned to you and said, ‘Is this true, Protagoras?
 56  Prot| acknowledging the truth of what he said, Socrates.~Well then, Protagoras,
 57  Prot|         there be no ‘if.’~Well, he said, I admit that justice bears
 58  Prot|        unlike.~And do you think, I said in a tone of surprise, that
 59  Prot|           to be your view.~Well, I said, as you appear to have a
 60  Prot|            folly?~That is true, he said.~And when men act rightly
 61  Prot|           to be temperate?~Yes, he said.~And temperance makes them
 62  Prot|         not temperate?~I agree, he said.~Then to act foolishly is
 63  Prot|            He agreed.~Once more, I said, is there anything beautiful?~
 64  Prot|       grave?~There is no other, he said, but that.~Then every opposite
 65  Prot|           He assented.~Then now, I said, let us recapitulate our
 66  Prot|        wisdom?~He assented.~And we said that everything has only
 67  Prot|         agree: for how can they be said to agree if everything is
 68  Prot|             And now, Protagoras, I said, we must finish the enquiry,
 69  Prot|           be ashamed, Socrates, he said, to acknowledge this, which
 70  Prot|        replied.~I would rather, he said, that you should argue with
 71  Prot|            show of refusing, as he said that the argument was not
 72  Prot|   consented to answer.~Now then, I said, begin at the beginning
 73  Prot|            and yet unjust?~Yes, he said; let that be admitted.~And
 74  Prot|        Granted.~If they succeed, I said, or if they do not succeed?~
 75  Prot|           for man?~Yes, indeed, he said: and there are some things
 76  Prot|            my business, and gently said:—~When you say, Protagoras,
 77  Prot|         company cheered him. And I said: Protagoras, I have a wretched
 78  Prot|          you.~What do you mean? he said: how am I to shorten my
 79  Prot|            short?~Certainly not, I said.~But short enough?~Yes,
 80  Prot|           But short enough?~Yes, I said.~Shall I answer what appears
 81  Prot|            enough?~I have heard, I said, that you can speak and
 82  Prot|    continue the conversation; so I said: Protagoras, I do not wish
 83  Prot|           with you. Now you, as is said of you by others and as
 84  Prot|         this old cloak of mine. He said: We cannot let you go, Socrates,
 85  Prot|             But you see, Socrates, said Callias, that Protagoras
 86  Prot|         Alcibiades interposed, and said: That, Callias, is not a
 87  Prot|             seems to me to be well said, for those who are present
 88  Prot|            the sage spoke next. He said: All of you who are here
 89  Prot|        universal approval; Callias said that he would not let me
 90  Prot|           choose an arbiter. But I said that to choose an umpire
 91  Prot|           of opinion, Socrates, he said, that skill in poetry is
 92  Prot|         whole?~There is no need, I said; for I am perfectly well
 93  Prot|         study of it.~Very well, he said. And do you think that the
 94  Prot|      composition, and true?~Yes, I said, both good and true.~But
 95  Prot|          will observe that this is said by the same poet.~I know
 96  Prot|           it.~And do you think, he said, that the two sayings are
 97  Prot|     sayings are consistent?~Yes, I said, I think so (at the same
 98  Prot|            be something in what he said). And you think otherwise?~
 99  Prot|           think otherwise?~Why, he said, how can he be consistent
100  Prot|            called him. Prodicus, I said, Simonides is a countryman
101  Prot|          truly good’?~Quite right, said Prodicus.~And then he blames
102  Prot|           approved; but Protagoras said: Your correction, Socrates,
103  Prot|            are correcting.~Alas! I said, Protagoras; then I am a
104  Prot|         cure.~Such is the fact, he said.~How so? I asked.~The poet,
105  Prot|           easily retained.~Well, I said, and how fortunate are we
106  Prot|          by the term ‘hard’?~Evil, said Prodicus.~And therefore,
107  Prot|         Prodicus.~And therefore, I said, Prodicus, he blames Pittacus
108  Prot|          Evil is the good.~Yes, he said, that was certainly his
109  Prot|       entirely mistaken, Prodicus, said Protagoras; and I know very
110  Prot|           of this I am positive.~I said: I also incline to believe,
111  Prot|         should like to tell you, I said, what I imagine to be the
112  Prot|            I proposed.~Then now, I said, I will endeavour to explain
113  Prot|     meaning. A great deal might be said in praise of the details
114  Prot|      highest matters.’—And this, I said, Prodicus and Protagoras,
115  Prot|    Simonides in this poem.~Hippias said: I think, Socrates, that
116  Prot|            allow me.~Nay, Hippias, said Alcibiades; not now, but
117  Prot|        that Socrates should ask.~I said: I wish Protagoras either
118  Prot|  Alcibiades turned to Callias, and said:—Do you think, Callias,
119  Prot|         last induced to argue, and said that I might ask and he
120  Prot|          and he would answer.~So I said: Do not imagine, Protagoras,
121  Prot|         dare say that you may have said what you did only in order
122  Prot|             I answer, Socrates, he said, that all these qualities
123  Prot|         for their courage.~Stop, I said; I should like to think
124  Prot|            sort of nature?~Yes, he said; I mean the impetuous, ready
125  Prot|           to be a teacher.~Yes, he said; I should say the best of
126  Prot|      partly good and partly bad, I said, or wholly good?~Wholly
127  Prot|            of all other things, he said, if that is your point:
128  Prot|        persons utterly ignorant, I said, of these things, and yet
129  Prot|      confident about them?~Yes, he said, I have seen such persons
130  Prot|         not the confident?~Yes, he said; to that statement I adhere.~
131  Prot|   statement I adhere.~And those, I said, who are thus confident
132  Prot|            remembrance of what was said by me. When you asked me,
133  Prot|       healthy state of the soul.~I said: You would admit, Protagoras,
134  Prot|      unpleasantly an evil?~Yes, he said, if the pleasure be good
135  Prot|          do not know, Socrates, he said, whether I can venture to
136  Prot|         you would call pleasant, I said, the things which participate
137  Prot|            pleasure?~Certainly, he said.~Then my meaning is, that
138  Prot|            reflect about this,’ he said; and if the reflection is
139  Prot|            to begin the enquiry? I said; or shall I begin?~You ought
140  Prot|         ought to take the lead, he said; for you are the author
141  Prot|          employ an illustration? I said. Suppose some one who is
142  Prot|          agree with you, Socrates, said Protagoras; and not only
143  Prot|           of human things.~Good, I said, and true. But are you aware
144  Prot|            the reason of this have said that when men act contrary
145  Prot|        occur to them?~I believe, I said, that they may be of use
146  Prot|            You are quite right, he said; and I would have you proceed
147  Prot|           have begun.~Well then, I said, let me suppose that they
148  Prot|           and the like?~I believe, said Protagoras, that the world
149  Prot|         they were not?~I think so, said Protagoras.~‘And do you
150  Prot|          not think that they have, said Protagoras.~‘And have you
151  Prot|             But you cannot.’~True, said Protagoras.~Suppose again,
152  Prot|       Protagoras.~Suppose again, I said, that the world says to
153  Prot|            of measurement?~Yes, he said, the art of measurement.~
154  Prot|       science?~They will agree, he said.~The nature of that art
155  Prot|         other things; and then you said that pleasure often got
156  Prot|            all thought that what I said was entirely true.~Then
157  Prot|            true.~Then you agree, I said, that the pleasant is the
158  Prot|         This was admitted.~Then, I said, if the pleasant is the
159  Prot|      unanimously assented.~Then, I said, no man voluntarily pursues
160  Prot|        every word of this.~Well, I said, there is a certain thing
161  Prot|       Hippias agreed, but Prodicus said that this was fear and not
162  Prot|            Never mind, Prodicus, I said; but let me ask whether,
163  Prot|      universally admitted.~Then, I said, these, Hippias and Prodicus,
164  Prot|            can be right in what he said at first. I do not mean
165  Prot|           I do not mean in what he said quite at first, for his
166  Prot|            the following proof. He said: You will find, Socrates,
167  Prot|          He assented.~Well then, I said, tell us against what are
168  Prot|       something different?~Yes, he said.~Then do cowards go where
169  Prot|           so men say.~Very true, I said. But I want to know against
170  Prot|           not against dangers?~No, said he; the former case has
171  Prot|         things.~And yet, Socrates, said Protagoras, that to which
172  Prot|       honourable or disgraceful? I said.~Honourable, he replied.~
173  Prot|       shall always adhere.~True, I said. But which of the two are
174  Prot|          is good and honourable, I said, is also pleasant?~It has
175  Prot|         uninstructedness?~True, he said.~Then as to the motive from
176  Prot|          of dangers?~Assuredly, he said.~And because of that ignorance
177  Prot|      assent.~But surely courage, I said, is opposed to cowardice?~
178  Prot|         but was silent.~And why, I said, do you neither assent nor
179  Prot|           argument by yourself, he said.~I only want to ask one
180  Prot|           ask one more question, I said. I want to know whether
181  Prot|        argument.~My only object, I said, in continuing the discussion,
182  Prot|            have no objection, as I said at first, I should like
183  Prot|          argument. As I have often said, I admire you above all
184  Prot|    something else.~By all means, I said, if that is your wish; for