gorgias   

assembly, "as aforesaid" of arithmetic, but with a difference, the

difference being that the art of calculation considers not only the

quantities of odd and even numbers, but also their numerical relations

to themselves and to one another. And suppose, again, I were to say

that astronomy is only word-he would ask, "Words about what,

Socrates?" and I should answer, that astronomy tells us about the

motions of the stars and sun and moon, and their relative swiftness.

Gor. You would be quite right, Socrates.

Soc. And now let us have from you, Gorgias, the truth about

rhetoric: which you would admit (would you not?) to be one of those

arts which act always and fulfil all their ends through the medium

of words?

Gor. True.

Soc. Words which do what? I should ask. To what class of things do

the words which rhetoric uses relate?

Gor. To the greatest, Socrates, and the best of human things.

Soc. That again, Gorgias is ambiguous; I am still in the dark: for

which are the greatest and best of human things? I dare say that you

have heard men singing at feasts the old drinking song, in which the

singers enumerate the goods of life, first health, beauty next,

thirdly, as the writer of the song says, wealth honesty obtained.

Gor. Yes, I know the song; but what is your drift?

Soc. I mean to say, that the producers of those things which the

author of the song praises, that is to say, the physician, the

trainer, the money-maker, will at once come to you, and first the

physician will say: "O Socrates, Gorgias is deceiving you, for my

art is concerned with the greatest good of men and not his." And

when I ask, Who are you? he will reply, "I am a physician." What do

you mean? I shall say. Do you mean that your art produces the greatest

good? "Certainly," he will answer, "for is not health the greatest

good? What greater good can men have, Socrates?" And after him the

trainer will come and say, "I too, Socrates, shall be greatly