protagoras   

one had asked you: What are Polycleitus and Pheidias? and why do you

give them this money?-how would you have answered?

I should have answered, that they were statuaries.

And what will they make of you?

A statuary, of course.

Well now, I said, you and I are going to Protagoras, and we are

ready to pay him money on your behalf. If our own means are

sufficient, and we can gain him with these, we shall be only too glad;

but if not, then we are to spend the money of your friends as well.

Now suppose, that while we are thus enthusiastically pursuing our

object some one were to say to us: Tell me, Socrates, and you

Hippocrates, what is Protagoras, and why are you going to pay him

money,-how should we answer? I know that Pheidias is a sculptor, and

that Homer is a poet; but what appellation is given to Protagoras? how

is he designated?

They call him a Sophist, Socrates, he replied.

Then we are going to pay our money to him in the character of a

Sophist?

Certainly.

But suppose a person were to ask this further question: And how

about yourself? What will Protagoras make of you, if you go to see

him?

He answered, with a blush upon his face (for the day was just

beginning to dawn, so that I could see him): Unless this differs in

some way from the former instances, I suppose that he will make a

Sophist of me.

By the gods, I said, and are you not ashamed at having to appear

before the Hellenes in the character of a Sophist?

Indeed, Socrates, to confess the truth, I am.

But you should not assume, Hippocrates, that the instruction of

Protagoras is of this nature: may you not learn of him in the same way

that you learned the arts of the grammarian, musician, or trainer, not