protagoras   

willing to argue with me in such a way that I can follow you, then I

will argue with you. Now you, as is said of you by others and as you

say of yourself, are able to have discussions in shorter forms of

speech as well as in longer, for you are a master of wisdom; but I

cannot manage these long speeches: I only wish that I could. You, on

the other hand, who are capable of either, ought to speak shorter as I

beg you, and then we might converse. But I see that you are

disinclined, and as I have an engagement which will prevent my staying

to hear you at greater length (for I have to be in another place), I

will depart; although I should have liked to have heard you.

Thus I spoke, and was rising from my seat, when Callias seized me by

the right hand, and in his left hand caught hold of this old cloak

of mine. He said: We cannot let you go, Socrates, for if you leave

us there will be an end of our discussions: I must therefore beg you

to remain, as there is nothing in the world that I should like

better than to hear you and Protagoras discourse. Do not deny the

company this pleasure.

Now I had got up, and was in the act of departure. Son of

Hipponicus, I replied, I have always admired, and do now heartily

applaud and love your philosophical spirit, and I would gladly

comply with your request, if I could. But the truth is that I

cannot. And what you ask is as great an impossibility to me, as if you

bade me run a race with Crison of Himera, when in his prime, or with

some one of the long or day course runners. To such a request I should

reply that I would fain ask the same of my own legs; but they refuse

to comply. And therefore if you want to see Crison and me in the

same stadium, you must bid him slacken his speed to mine, for I cannot

run quickly, and he can run slowly. And in like manner if you want

to hear me and Protagoras discoursing, you must ask him to shorten his

answers, and keep to the point, as he did at first; if not, how can

there be any discussion? For discussion is one thing, and making an

oration is quite another, in my humble opinion.