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walked up to Protagoras； and I said： Protagoras； my friend Hippocrates
and I have come to see you。
Do you wish； he said； to speak with me alone； or in the presence
of the company？
Whichever you please； I said； you shall determine when you have
heard the purpose of our visit。
And what is your purpose？ he said。
I must explain； I said； that my friend Hippocrates is a native
Athenian； he is the son of Apollodorus； and of a great and
prosperous house； and he is himself in natural ability quite a match
for anybody of his own age。 I believe that he aspires to political
eminence； and this he thinks that conversation with you is most likely
to procure for him。 And now you can determine whether you would wish
to speak to him of your teaching alone or in the presence of the
company。
Thank you； Socrates； for your consideration of me。 For certainly a
stranger finding his way into great cities； and persuading the
flower of the youth in them to leave company of their kinsmen or any
other acquaintances； old or young； and live with him； under the idea
that they will be improved by his conversation； ought to be very
cautious； great jealousies are aroused by his proceedings； and he is
the subject of many enmities and conspiracies。 Now the art of the
Sophist is； as I believe； of great antiquity； but in ancient times
those who practised it； fearing this odium； veiled and disguised
themselves under various names； some under that of poets； as Homer；
Hesiod； and Simonides； some； of hierophants and prophets； as Orpheus
and Musaeus； and some； as I observe； even under the name of
gymnastic…masters； like Iccus of Tarentum； or the more recently
celebrated Herodicus； now of Selymbria and formerly of Megara； who
is a first…rate Sophist。 Your own Agathocles pretended to be a
musician； but was really an eminent Sophist； also Pythocleides the
Cean； and there were many others； and all of them； as I was saying；
adopted these arts as veils or disguises because they were afraid of
the odium which they would incur。 But that is not my way； for I do not
believe that they effected their purpose； which was to deceive the
government； who were not blinded by them； and as to the people； they
have no understanding； and only repeat what their rulers are pleased
to tell them。 Now to run away； and to be caught in running away； is
the very height of folly； and also greatly increases the
exasperation of mankind； for they regard him who runs away as a rogue；
in addition to any other objections which they have to him； and
therefore I take an entirely opposite course； and acknowledge myself
to be a Sophist and instructor of mankind； such an open
acknowledgement appears to me to be a better sort of caution than
concealment。 Nor do I neglect other precautions； and therefore I hope；
as I may say； by the favour of heaven that no harm will come of the
acknowledgment that I am a Sophist。 And I have been now many years
in the profession…for all my years when added up are many： there is no
one here present of whom I might not be the father。 Wherefore I should
much prefer conversing with you； if you want to speak with me； in
the presence of the company。
As I suspected that he would like to have a little display and
glorification in the presence of Prodicus and Hippias； and would
gladly show us to them in the light of his admirers； I said： But why
should we not summon Prodicus and Hippias and their friends to hear
us？
Very good； he said。
Suppose； said Callias； that we hold a council in which you may sit
and discuss。…This was agreed upon； and great delight was felt at the
prospect of hearing wise men talk； we ourselves took the chairs and
benches； and arranged them by Hippias； where the other benches had
been already placed。 Meanwhile Callias and Alcibiades got Prodicus out
of bed and brought in him and his companions。
When we were all seated； Protagoras said： Now that the company are
assembled； Socrates； tell me about the youngman of whom you were
just now speaking。
I replied： I will begin again at the same point； Protagoras； and
tell you once more the purport of my visit： this is my friend
Hippocrates； who is desirous of making your acquaintance； he would
like to know what will happen to him if he associates with you。 I have
no more to say。
Protagoras answered： Young man； if you associate with me； on the
very first day you will return home a better man than you came； and
better on the second day than on the first； and better every day
than you were on the day before。
When I heard this； I said： Protagoras； I do not at all wonder at
hearing you say this； even at your age； and with all your wisdom； if
any one were to teach you what you did not know before； you would
become better no doubt： but please to answer in a different way…I will
explain how by an example。 Let me suppose that Hippocrates； instead of
desiring your acquaintance； wished to become acquainted with the young
man Zeuxippus of Heraclea； who has lately been in Athens； and he had
come to him as he has come to you； and had heard him say； as he has
heard you say； that every day he would grow and become better if he
associated with him： and then suppose that he were to ask him； 〃In
what shall I become better； and in what shall I grow？〃…Zeuxippus would
answer； 〃In painting。〃 And suppose that he went to Orthagoras the
Theban； and heard him say the same thing； and asked him； 〃In what
shall I become better day by day？〃 he would reply； 〃In flute…playing。〃
Now I want you to make the same sort of answer to this young man and
to me； who am asking questions on his account。 When you say that on
the first day on which he associates with you he will return home a
better man； and on every day will grow in like manner；…In what；
Protagoras； will he be better？ and about what？
When Protagoras heard me say this； he replied： You ask questions
fairly； and I like to answer a question which is fairly put。 If
Hippocrates comes to me he will not experience the sort of drudgery
with which other Sophists are in the habit of insulting their
pupils； who； when they have just escaped from the arts； are taken
and driven back into them by these teachers； and made to learn
calculation； and astronomy； and geometry； and music （he gave a look at
Hippias as he said this）； but if he comes to me； he will learn that
which he comes to learn。 And this is prudence in affairs private as
well as public； he will learn to order his own house in the best
manner； and he will be able to speak and act for the best in the
affairs of the state。
Do I understand you； I said； and is your meaning that you teach
the art of politics； and that you promise to make men good citizens？
That； Socrates； is exactly the profession which I make。
Then； I said； you do indeed possess a noble art； if there is no
mistake about this； for I will freely confess to you； Protagoras； that
I have a doubt whether this art is capable of being taught； and yet
I know not how to disbelieve your assertion。 And I ought to tell you
why I am of opinion that this art cannot be taught or communicated
by man to man。 I say that the Athenians are an understanding people；
and indeed they are esteemed to be such by the other Hellenes。 Now I
observe that when we are met together in the assembly； and the
matter in hand relates to building； the builders are summoned as
advisers； when the question is one of shipbuilding； then the
ship…wrights； and the like of other arts which they think capable of
being taught and learned。 And if some person offers to give them
advice who is not supposed by them to have any skill in the art；
even though he be good…looking； and rich； and noble； they will not
listen to him； but laugh and hoot at him； until either he is clamoured
down and retires of himself； or if he persist； he is dragged away or
put out by the constables at the command of the prytanes。 This is
their way of behaving about professors of the arts。 But when the
question is an affair of state； then everybody is free to have a
say…carpenter； tinker； cobbler； sailor； passenger； rich and poor； high
and low…any one who likes gets up； and no one reproaches him； as in
the former case； with not having learned； and having no teacher； and
yet giving advice； evidently because they are under the impression
that this sort of knowledge cannot be taught。 And not only is this
true of the state； but of individuals； the best and wisest of our
citizens are unable to impart their political wisdom to others： as for
example； Pericles； the father of these young men； who gave them
excellent instruction in all that could be learned from masters； in
his own departm