โ Scribed by Andrew Ward
No coin nor oath required. For personal study only.
Early in Plato's Protagoras, Hippocrates rouses Socrates from sleep to tell him that the sophist Protagoras is staying at the house of Callias. When asked why this excites him, Hippocrates says that he hopes to become a student of Protagoras and wants Socrates to put in a word for him. (310e) 1 Although it is too early to see Protagoras just then, Socrates suggests that he and Hippocrates "go out into the courtyard ... and take a turn to pass the time till it gets light." (31 la) Hippocrates agrees, and as they walk, Socrates decides to test Hippocrates' resolution. Noting that one studies with a doctor in order to become a doctor, and with a sculptor to become a sculptor, Socrates asks Hippocrates why he wishes to become Protagoras' student. Hippocrates answers that while, on the basis of Socrates' analogy, he should "be hoping to become a sophist" (312a), he would be ashamed to present himself to people as one. To help Hippocrates, Socrates draws a distinction between liberal education and professional or technical education, and suggests that Pr0tagoras' teaching may be the first kind. If correct, then Protagoras' teaching is like the teaching of a reading-master or a music teacher whose students aim only at a well-rounded education "as an amateur and gentleman should." (312b) Although Hippocrates readily agrees that Protagoras' teaching is like that of the reading-master and music teacher, Socrates presses him to answer what precisely he hopes to learn from Protagoras. Hippocrates says that he wants to acquire knowledge of learned matters from him. (312c) However, when asked what the knowledge is "which the sophist himself possesses and which he imparts to his pupil" (312e), Hippocrates is unable to give a satisfactory answer. 2 By this time morning has come, and Socrates suggests that they travel to the house of Callias. Once there Hippocrates can be introduced to Protagoras and, after finding out what Protagoras teaches, become Protagoras' student if he still desires. Upon their arrival at Callias' house, Socrates approaches Protagoras and explains their purpose. At Protagoras' suggestion, everyone present is invited to gather around and hear Socrates
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Journalists have called the U.S. Senate an empty chamber; politicians have lamented that the institution is broken--yet the Senate was once capable of greatness. Senators of the 1960s and '70s overcame southern opposition to civil rights, passed Great Society legislation, and battled the executive b
Journalists have called the U.S. Senate an empty chamber; politicians have lamented that the institution is broken--yet the Senate was once capable of greatness. Senators of the 1960s and '70s overcame southern opposition to civil rights, passed Great Society legislation, and battled the executive b