protagoras   

Callias said that he would not let me off, and they begged me to

choose an arbiter. But I said that to choose an umpire of discourse

would be unseemly; for if the person chosen was inferior, then the

inferior or worse ought not to preside over the better; or if he was

equal, neither would that be well; for he who is our equal will do

as we do, and what will be the use of choosing him? And if you say,

"Let us have a better then,"-to that I answer that you cannot have any

one who is wiser than Protagoras. And if you choose another who is not

really better, and whom you only say is better, to put another over

him as though he were an inferior person would be an unworthy

reflection on him; not that, as far as I am concerned, any

reflection is of much consequence to me. Let me tell you then what I

will do in order that the conversation and discussion may go on as you

desire. If Protagoras is not disposed to answer, let him ask and I

will answer; and I will endeavour to show at the same time how, as I

maintain, he ought to answer: and when I have answered as many

questions as he likes to ask, let him in like manner answer me; and if

he seems to be not very ready at answering the precise question

asked of him, you and I will unite in entreating him, as you entreated

me, not to spoil the discussion. And this will require no special

arbiter-all of you shall be arbiters.

This was generally approved, and Protagoras, though very much

against his will, was obliged to agree that he would ask questions;

and when he had put a sufficient number of them, that he would

answer in his turn those which he was asked in short replies. He began

to put his questions as follows:-

I am of opinion, Socrates, he said, that skill in poetry is the

principal part of education; and this I conceive to be the power of

knowing what compositions of the poets are correct, and what are

not, and how they are to be distinguished, and of explaining when

asked the reason of the difference. And I propose to transfer the

question which you and I have been discussing to the domain of poetry;