sophist   

Theodorus. Here we are, Socrates, true to our agreement of
yesterday; and we bring with us a stranger from Elea, who is a
disciple of Parmenides and Zeno, and a true philosopher.
Socrates. Is he not rather a god, Theodorus, who comes to us in
the disguise of a stranger? For Homer says that all the gods, and
especially the god of strangers, are companions of the meek and
just, and visit the good and evil among men. And may not your
companion be one of those higher powers, a cross-examining deity,
who has come to spy out our weakness in argument, and to
cross-examine
us?
Theod. Nay, Socrates, he is not one of the disputatious sort-he is
too good for that. And, in my opinion, he is not a god at all; but
divine he certainly is, for this is a title which I should
give to all
philosophers.
Soc. Capital, my friend! and I may add that they are almost as
hard to be discerned as the gods. For the true philosophers, and
such as are not merely made up for the occasion, appear in various
forms unrecognized by the ignorance of men, and they "hover about
cities," as Homer declares, looking from above upon human life; and
some think nothing of them, and others can never think enough; and
sometimes they appear as statesmen, and sometimes as sophists; and
then, again, to many they seem to be no better than madmen. I should
like to ask our Eleatic friend, if he would tell us, what is thought
about them in Italy, and to whom the terms are applied.
Theod. What terms?
Soc. Sophist, statesman, philosopher.
Theod. What is your difficulty about them, and what made you ask?
Soc. I want to know whether by his countrymen they are regarded as
one or two; or do they, as the names are three, distinguish
also three
kinds, and assign one to each name?
Theod. I dare say that the Stranger will not object to discuss the
question. What do you say, Stranger?
Stranger. I am far from objecting, Theodorus, nor have I any
difficulty in replying that by us they are regarded as three. But to
define precisely the nature of each of them is by no means a
slight or
easy task.
Theod. You have happened to light, Socrates, almost on the very
question which we were asking our friend before we came
hither, and he
excused himself to us, as he does now you; although he admitted that
the matter had been fully discussed, and that he remembered the
answer.
Soc. Then do not, Stranger, deny us the first favour which
we ask of
you: I am sure that you will not, and therefore I shall only beg of
you to say whether you like and are accustomed to make a long
oration on a subject which you want to explain to another, or to
proceed by the method of question and answer. I remember hearing a
very noble discussion in which Parmenides employed the latter of the
two methods, when I was a young man, and he was far advanced
in years.
Str. I prefer to talk with another when he responds pleasantly,
and is light in hand; if not, I would rather have my own say.
Soc. Any one of the present company will respond kindly to you,
and you can choose whom you like of them; I should recommend you to
take a young person-Theaetetus, for example-unless you have a
preference for some one else.
Str. I feel ashamed, Socrates, being a new comer into your
society, instead of talking a little and hearing others talk, to be
spinning out a long soliloquy or address, as if I wanted to show