Protagoras.普罗泰戈拉篇.pdf

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Plato’s “Protagoras,”translated by Benjamher to the house of Callias; and
Socrates, after explaining the purpose of their visit
INTRODUCTION
to Protagoras, asks the question, ‘What he will make
of Hippocrates.’ Protagoras answers, ‘That he will
THE PROTAGORAS, like several of the Dialogues of
make him a better and a wiser man.’ ‘But in what
Plato, is put into the mouth of Socrates, who de-
will he be better?’—Socrates desires to have a more
scribes a conversation which had taken place be-
precise answer. Protagoras replies, ‘That he will teach
tween himself and the great Sophist at the house of
him prudence in affairs private and public; in short,
Callias— ‘the man who had spent more upon the
the science or knowledge of human life.’
Sophists than all the rest of the world’—and in
This, as Socrates admits, is a noble profession;
which the learned Hippias and the grammarian
but he is or rather would have been doubtful,
Prodicus had also shared, as well as Alcibiades and
whether such knowledge can be taught, if Protagoras
Critias, both of whom said a few words—in the pres-
had not assured him of the fact, for two reasons:
ence of a distinguished company consisting of dis-
3“Protagoras” — Plato
(1) Because the Athenian people, who recognize in madman if he