Platos Gorgias
CALLICLES: By the gods, Chaerephon, although I have SOCRATES: You were saying, in fact, that the rhetorician been present at many discussions, I doubt whether I was will have greater powers of persuasion than the physician ever so much delighted before, and therefore if you go on even in a matter of health?
discoursing all day I shall be the better pleased.
GORGIAS: Yes, with the multitude,that is.
SOCRATES: I may truly say, Callicles, that I am willing, if Gorgias is.
SOCRATES: You mean to say, with the ignorant; for with those who know he cannot be supposed to have greater GORGIAS: After all this, Socrates, I should be disgraced if powers of persuasion.
I refused, especially as I have promised to answer all com-ers; in accordance with the wishes of the company, then, GORGIAS: Very true.
do you begin. and ask of me any question which you like.
SOCRATES: But if he is to have more power of persua-SOCRATES: Let me tell you then, Gorgias, what surprises sion than the physician, he will have greater power than he me in your words; though I dare say that you may be right, who knows?
and I may have misunderstood your meaning. You say that you can make any man, who will learn of you, a rhetori-GORGIAS: Certainly.
cian?
SOCRATES: Although he is not a physician:is he?
GORGIAS: Yes.
GORGIAS: No.
SOCRATES: Do you mean that you will teach him to gain the ears of the multitude on any subject, and this not by SOCRATES: And he who is not a physician must, obvi-instruction but by persuasion?
ously, be ignorant of what the physician knows.
GORGIAS: Quite so.
GORGIAS: Clearly.