按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
of other things。 And if he were further to ask： What is the wisdom
of the Sophist； and what is the manufacture over which he
presides？…how should we answer him？
How should we answer him； Socrates？ What other answer could there be
but that he presides over the art which makes men eloquent？
Yes； I replied； that is very likely true； but not enough； for in the
answer a further question is involved： Of what does the Sophist make a
man talk eloquently？ The player on the lyre may be supposed to make
a man talk eloquently about that which he makes him understand； that
is about playing the lyre。 Is not that true？
Yes。
Then about what does the Sophist make him eloquent？ Must not he make
him eloquent in that which he understands？
Yes； that may be assumed。
And what is that which the Sophist knows and makes his disciple
know？
Indeed； he said； I cannot tell。
Then I proceeded to say： Well； but are you aware of the danger which
you are incurring？ If you were going to commit your body to some
one； who might do good or harm to it； would you not carefully consider
and ask the opinion of your friends and kindred； and deliberate many
days as to whether you should give him the care of your body？ But when
the soul is in question； which you hold to be of far more value than
the body； and upon the good or evil of which depends the well…being of
your all；…about this never consulted either with your father or with
your brother or with any one of us who are your companions。 But no
sooner does this foreigner appear； than you instantly commit your soul
to his keeping。 In the evening； as you say； you hear of him； and in
the morning you go to him； never deliberating or taking the opinion of
any one as to whether you ought to intrust yourself to him or not；…you
have quite made up your mind that you will at all hazards be a pupil
of Protagoras； and are prepared to expend all the property of yourself
and of your friends in carrying out at any price this determination；
although； as you admit； you do not know him； and have never spoken
with him： and you call him a Sophist； but are manifestly ignorant of
what a Sophist is； and yet you are going to commit yourself to his
keeping。
When he heard me say this； he replied： No other inference； Socrates；
can be drawn from your words。
I proceeded： Is not a Sophist； Hippocrates； one who deals
wholesale or retail in the food of the soul？ To me that appears to
be his nature。
And what； Socrates； is the food of the soul？
Surely； I said； knowledge is the food of the soul； and we must
take care； my friend； that the Sophist does not deceive us when he
praises what he sells； like the dealers wholesale or retail who sell
the food of the body； for they praise indiscriminately all their
goods； without knowing what are really beneficial or hurtful：
neither do their customers know； with the exception of any trainer
or physician who may happen to buy of them。 In like manner those who
carry about the wares of knowledge； and make the round of the
cities； and sell or retail them to any customer who is in want of
them； praise them all alike； though I should not wonder； O my
friend； if many of them were really ignorant of their effect upon
the soul； and their customers equally ignorant； unless he who buys
of them happens to be a physician of the soul。 If； therefore； you have
understanding of what is good and evil； you may safely buy knowledge
of Protagoras or of any one； but if not； then； O my friend； pause； and
do not hazard your dearest interests at a game of chance。 For there is
far greater peril in buying knowledge than in buying meat and drink：
the one you purchase of the wholesale or retail dealer； and carry them
away in other vessels； and before you receive them into the body as
food； you may deposit them at home and call in any experienced
friend who knows what is good to be eaten or drunken； and what not；
and how much； and when； and then the danger of purchasing them is
not so great。 But you cannot buy the wares of knowledge and carry them
away in another vessel； when you have paid for them you must receive
them into the soul and go your way； either greatly harmed or greatly
benefited； and therefore we should deliberate and take counsel with
our elders； for we are still young…too young to determine such a
matter。 And now let us go； as we were intending； and hear
Protagoras； and when we have heard what he has to say； we may take
counsel of others； for not only is Protagoras at the house of Callias；
but there is Hippias of Elis； and； if I am not mistaken； Prodicus of
Ceos； and several other wise men。
To this we agreed； and proceeded on our way until we reached the
vestibule of the house； and there we stopped in order to conclude a
discussion which had arisen between us as we were going along； and
we stood talking in the vestibule until we had finished and come to an
understanding。 And I think that the doorkeeper； who was a eunuch；
and who was probably annoyed at the great inroad of the Sophists； must
have heard us talking。 At any rate； when we knocked at the door； and
he opened and saw us； he grumbled： They are Sophists …he is not at
home； and instantly gave the door a hearty bang with both his hands。
Again we knocked； and he answered without opening： Did you not hear me
say that he is not at home； fellows？ But； my friend； I said； you
need not be alarmed； for we are not Sophists； and we are not come to
see Callias； but we want to see Protagoras； and I must request you
to announce us。 At last； after a good deal of difficulty； the man
was persuaded to open the door。
When we entered； we found Protagoras taking a walk in the
cloister； and next to him； on one side； were walking Callias； the
son of Hipponicus； and Paralus； the son of Pericles； who； by the
mother's side； is his half…brother； and Charmides； the son of Glaucon。
On the other side of him were Xanthippus； the other son of Pericles；
Philippides； the son of Philomelus； also Antimoerus of Mende； who of
all the disciples of Protagoras is the most famous； and intends to
make sophistry his profession。 A train of listeners followed him；
the greater part of them appeared to be foreigners； whom Protagoras
had brought with him out of the various cities visited by him in his
journeys； he； like Orpheus； attracting them his voice； and they
following。 I should mention also that there were some Athenians in the
company。 Nothing delighted me more than the precision of their
movements： they never got into his way at all； but when he and those
who were with him turned back； then the band of listeners parted
regularly on either side； he was always in front； and they wheeled
round and took their places behind him in perfect order。
After him； as Homer says； 〃I lifted up my eyes and saw〃 Hippias
the Elean sitting in the opposite cloister on a chair of state； and
around him were seated on benches Eryximachus； the son of Acumenus；
and Phaedrus the Myrrhinusian； and Andron the son of Androtion； and
there were strangers whom he had brought with him from his native city
of Elis； and some others： they were putting to Hippias certain
physical and astronomical questions； and he； ex cathedra； was
determining their several questions to them； and discoursing of them。
Also； 〃my eyes beheld Tantalus〃； for Prodicus the Cean was at
Athens： he had been lodged in a room which； in the days of Hipponicus；
was a storehouse； but； as the house was full； Callias had cleared this
out and made the room into a guest…chamber。 Now Prodicus was still
in bed； wrapped up in sheepskins and bed…clothes； of which there
seemed to be a great heap； and there was sitting by him on the couches
near； Pausanias of the deme of Cerameis； and with Pausanias was a
youth quite young； who is certainly remarkable for his good looks；
and； if I am not mistaken； is also of a fair and gentle nature。 I
thought that I heard him called Agathon； and my suspicion is that he
is the beloved of Pausanias。 There was this youth； and also there were
the two Adeimantuses； one the son of Cepis； and the other of
Leucolophides； and some others。 I was very anxious to hear what
Prodicus was saying； for he seems to me to be an all…wise and inspired
man； but I was not able to get into the inner circle； and his fine
deep voice made an echo in the room which rendered his words
inaudible。
No sooner had we entered than there followed us Alcibiades the
beautiful； as you say； and I believe you； and also Critias the son
of Callaeschrus。
On entering we stopped a little； in order to look about us； and then
walked up to Protagoras； and I said： Protagoras； my friend Hippocrates
and I