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we must abide by the compact which was made between Socrates and
Protagoras, to the effect that as long as Protagoras is willing to ask, Socrates
should answer; or that if he would rather answer, then that Socrates should
ask.
I said: I wish Protagoras either to ask or answer as he is inclined; but I
would rather have done with poems and odes, if he does not object, and come
back to the question about which I was asking you at first, Protagoras, and by
your help make an end of that. The talk about the poets seems to me like a
commonplace entertainment to which a vulgar company have recourse; who,
because they are not able to converse or amuse one another, while they are
drinking, with the sound of their own voices and conversation, by reason of
their stupidity, raise the price of flute-girls in the market, hiring for a great
sum the voice of a flute instead of their own breath, to be the medium of
intercourse among them: but where the company are real gentlemen and men
of education, you will see no flute-girls, nor dancing- girls, nor harp-girls; and
they have no nonsense or games, but are contented with one another’s
conversation, of which their own voices are the medium, and which they
carry on by turns and in an orderly manner, even though they are very liberal
in their potations. And a company like this of ours, and men such as we
profess to be, do not require the help of another’s voice, or of the poets whom
you cannot interrogate about the meaning of what they are saying; people
who cite them declaring, some that the poet has one meaning, and others that
he has another, and the point which is in dispute can never be decided. This
sort of entertainment they decline, and prefer to talk with one another, and put
one another to the proof in conversation. And these are the models which I
desire that you and I should imitate. Leaving the poets, and keeping to
ourselves, let us try the mettle of one another and make proof of the truth in
conversation. If you have a mind to ask, I am ready to answer; or if you
would rather, do you answer, and give me the opportunity of resuming and
completing our unfinished argument.
I made these and some similar observations; but Protagoras would not
distinctly say which he would do. Thereupon Alcibiades turned to Callias, and
said:—Do you think, Callias, that Protagoras is fair in refusing to say whether
he will or will not answer? for I certainly think that he is unfair; he ought
either to proceed with the argument, or distinctly refuse to proceed, that we
may know his intention; and then Socrates will be able to discourse with some
one else, and the rest of the company will be free to talk with one another.
I think that Protagoras was really made ashamed by these words of
Alcibiades, and when the prayers of Callias and the company were
superadded, he was at last induced to argue, and said that I might ask and he
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Buch The Complete Plato"
The Complete Plato
- Titel
- The Complete Plato
- Autor
- Plato
- Datum
- ~347 B.C.
- Sprache
- englisch
- Lizenz
- PD
- Abmessungen
- 21.0 x 29.7 cm
- Seiten
- 1612
- Schlagwörter
- Philosophy, Antique, Philosophie, Antike, Dialogues, Metaphysik, Metaphysics, Ideologie, Ideology, Englisch
- Kategorien
- Geisteswissenschaften
- International