Protagoras: Large Print

The Protagoras, like several of the Dialogues of Plato, is put into the mouth of Socrates, who describes a conversation which had taken place between himself and the great Sophistat the house of Callias-'the man who had spent more upon the Sophists than all the rest ofthe world'-and in which the learned Hippias and the grammarian Prodicus had alsoshared, as well as Alcibiades and Critias, both of whom said a few words-in the presenceof a distinguished company consisting of disciples of Protagoras and of leading Atheniansbelonging to the Socratic circle. The dialogue commences with a request on the part ofHippocrates that Socrates would introduce him to the celebrated teacher. He has comebefore the dawn had risen-so fervid is his zeal. Socrates moderates his excitement andadvises him to find out 'what Protagoras will make of him, ' before he becomes his pupil.They go together to the house of Callias; and Socrates, after explaining the purpose oftheir visit to Protagoras, asks the question, 'What he will make of Hippocrates.' Protagorasanswers, 'That he will make him a better and a wiser man.' 'But in what will he bebetter?'-Socrates desires to have a more precise answer. Protagoras replies, 'That he willteach him prudence in affairs private and public; in short, the science or knowledge ofhuman life.'This, as Socrates admits, is a noble profession; but he is or rather would have beendoubtful, whether such knowledge can be taught, if Protagoras had not assured him of thefact, for two reasons: (1) Because the Athenian people, who recognize in their assembliesthe distinction between the skilled and the unskilled in the arts, do not distinguish betweenthe trained politician and the untrained; (2) Because the wisest and best Athenian citizensdo not teach their sons political virtue. Will Protagoras answer these objections?Protagoras explains his views in the form of an apologue, in which, after Prometheus hadgiven men the arts, Zeus is represented as sending Hermes to them, bearing with himJustice and Reverence. These are not, like the arts, to be imparted to a few only, but all menare to be partakers of them. Therefore the Athenian people are right in distinguishingbetween the skilled and unskilled in the arts, and not between skilled and unskilledpoliticians. (1) For all men have the political virtues to a certain degree, and are obliged tosay that they have them, whether they have them or not. A man would be thought amadman who professed an art which he did not know; but he would be equally thought amadman if he did not profess a virtue which he had not. (2) And that the political virtuescan be taught and acquired, in the opinion of the Athenians, is proved by the fact that theypunish evil-doers, with a view to prevention, of course-mere retribution is for beasts, andnot for me