gorgias   

Gor. Of course.

Soc. But does not the art of medicine, which we were just now

mentioning, also make men able to understand and speak about the sick?

Gor. Certainly.

Soc. Then medicine also treats of discourse?

Gor. Yes.

Soc. Of discourse concerning diseases?

Gor. Just so.

Soc. And does not gymnastic also treat of discourse concerning the

good or evil condition of the body?

Gor. Very true.

Soc. And the same, Gorgias, is true of the other arts:-all of them

treat of discourse concerning the subjects with which they severally

have to do.

Gor. Clearly.

Soc. Then why, if you call rhetoric the art which treats of

discourse, and all the other arts treat of discourse, do you not

call them arts of rhetoric?

Gor. Because, Socrates, the knowledge of the other arts has only

to do with some sort of external action, as of the hand; but there

is no such action of the hand in rhetoric which works and takes effect

only through the medium of discourse. And therefore I am justified

in saying that rhetoric treats of discourse.

Soc. I am not sure whether I entirely understand you, but I dare say

I shall soon know better; please to answer me a question:-you would

allow that there are arts?

Gor. Yes.

Soc. As to the arts generally, they are for the most part

concerned with doing, and require little or no speaking; in

painting, and statuary, and many other arts, the work may proceed in

silence; and of such arts I suppose you would say that they do not

come within the province of rhetoric.