gorgias   

the question at issue. And sometimes they will go on abusing one

another until the company at last are quite vexed at themselves for

ever listening to such fellows. Why do I say this? Why, because I

cannot help feeling that you are now saying what is not quite

consistent or accordant with what you were saying at first about

rhetoric. And I am afraid to point this out to you, lest you should

think that I have some animosity against you, and that I speak, not

for the sake of discovering the truth, but from jealousy of you. Now

if you are one of my sort, I should like to cross-examine you, but

if not I will let you alone. And what is my sort? you will ask. I am

one of those who are very willing to be refuted if I say anything

which is not true, and very willing to refute any one else who says

what is not true, and quite as ready to be refuted as to refute-I

for I hold that this is the greater gain of the two, just as the

gain is greater of being cured of a very great evil than of curing

another. For I imagine that there is no evil which a man can endure so

great as an erroneous opinion about the matters of which we are

speaking and if you claim to be one of my sort, let us have the

discussion out, but if you would rather have done, no matter-let us

make an end of it.

Gor. I should say, Socrates, that I am quite the man whom you

indicate; but, perhaps, we ought to consider the audience, for, before

you came, I had already given a long exhibition, and if we proceed the

argument may run on to a great length. And therefore I think that we

should consider whether we, may not be detaining some part of the

company when they are wanting to do something else.

Chaer. You hear the audience cheering, Gorgias and Socrates, which

shows their desire to listen to you; and for myself, Heaven forbid

that I should have any business on hand which would take me Away

from a discussion so interesting and so ably maintained.

Cal. By the gods, Chaerephon, although I have been present at many

discussions, I doubt whether I was ever so much delighted before,