Socrates vs. Gorgias

The scene:

You, Gorgias, a well-known and venerated rhetorician, are in Athens to give a public demonstration of your oratorical skill. Meeting Callicles, Socrates and Chaerephon learn from him that they have just missed your public lecture. Callicles offers to arrange a private performance at his house any time they wish; but hearing that you have called for questions, Socrates puts up Chaerephon to ask you one: What sort of man is Gorgias? The question is intercepted by Polus, who presently embarks on a harangue. Socrates points out that this is no answer, and begs you, yourself to submit to interrogation. You agree.




Socrates asks, Gorgias, let me turn to you, and ask the same question what are we to call you, and what is the art which you profess?
Gorgias replies, Rhetoric, Socrates, is my art.




Socrates asks, Then I am to call you a rhetorician?


Gorgias replies Yes, Socrates, and a good one too, if you would call me that which, in Homeric language, "I boast myself to be."
Gorgias alternative No, don't mock me. I'll tell you what a rhetorician is.

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Socrates asks, And are we to say that you are able to make other men rhetoricians?

Gorgias replies Yes, that is exactly what I profess to make them, not only at Athens, but in all places.
Gorgias alternativeNo, I am not. Let me further explain myself.




Socrates asks, Very good then; as you profess to be a rhetorician, and a maker of rhetoricians, let me ask you, with what is rhetoric concerned: I might ask with what is weaving concerned, and you would reply (would you not?), with the making of garments?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative No, and I'll tell you why not.




Socrates asks, And music is concerned with the composition of melodies?

Gorgias replies It is.
Gorgias alternative I disagree, Socrates.
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Socrates asks, I am glad to hear it; answer me in like manner about rhetoric: with what is rhetoric concerned?

Gorgias replies With discourse.
Gorgias alternative I'm afraid that this question requires a lengthier reply than your previous ones.
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Socrates asks, What sort of discourse, Gorgias?-such discourse as would teach the sick under what treatment they might get well?

Gorgias replies No.
Gorgias alternative Yes, quite possibly.




Socrates asks, Then rhetoric does not treat of all kinds of discourse?

Gorgias replies Certainly not.
Gorgias alternative Well, no, that's not what I meant to imply. Allow me to make myself clear.




Socrates asks, And yet rhetoric makes men able to speak?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative No, you misunderstand me.




Socrates asks, And to understand that about which they speak?

Gorgias replies Of course.
Gorgias alternative No, you're taking my point a bit too far.




Socrates asks, But does not the art of medicine, which we were just now mentioning, also make men able to understand and speak about the sick?

Gorgias replies Certainly.
Gorgias alternative No, I disagree.




Socrates asks, Then medicine also treats of discourse?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative No.




Socrates asks, Of discourse concerning diseases?

Gorgias replies Just so.
Gorgias alternative Not exactly.




Socrates asks, And does not gymnastic also treat of discourse concerning the good or evil condition of the body?

Gorgias replies Very true.
Gorgias alternative No, I disagree.




Socrates asks, And the same, Gorgias, is true of the other arts:-all of them treat of discourse concerning the subjects with which they severally have to do.

Gorgias replies Clearly.
Gorgias alternative No, that statement is too broad. I disagree.




Socrates asks, Then why, if you call rhetoric the art which treats of discourse, and all the other arts treat of discourse, do you not call them arts of rhetoric?

Gorgias replies Because, Socrates, the knowledge of the other arts has only to do with some sort of external action, as of the hand; but there is no such action of the hand in rhetoric which works and takes effe ct only through the medium of discourse. And therefore I am justified in saying that rhetoric treats of discourse.
Gorgias alternative That's a good question. Let me explain.




Socrates asks, I am not sure whether I entirely understand you, but I dare say I shall soon know better; please to answer me a question:-you would allow that there are arts?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative That depends on what you mean by "arts". Let me explain.




Socrates asks, As to the arts generally, they are for the most part concerned with doing, and require little or no speaking; in painting, and statuary, and many other arts, the work may proceed in sile nce; and of such arts I suppose you would say that they do not come within the province of rhetoric.

Gorgias replies You perfectly conceive my meaning, Socrates.
Gorgias alternative No, I disagree.




Socrates asks, But there are other arts which work wholly through the medium of language, and require either no action or very little, as, for example, the arts of arithmetic, of calculation, of geomet ry, and of playing draughts; in some of these speech is pretty nearly co-extensive with action, but in most of them the verbal element is greater-they depend wholly on words for their efficacy and power: and I take your meaning to be that rhetoric is an a rt of this latter sort?

Gorgias replies Exactly.
Gorgias alternative No, no, no. Let me explain.




Socrates asks, And yet I do not believe that you really mean to call any of these arts rhetoric; although the precise expression which you used was, that rhetoric is an art which works and takes effect only through the medium of discourse; and an adversary who wished to be captious might say, "And so, Gorgias, you call arithmetic rhetoric." But I do not think that you really call arithmetic rhetoric any more than geometry would be so called b y you.

Gorgias replies You are quite right, Socrates, in your apprehension of my meaning.
Gorgias alternative No, I disagree.




Socrates asks, Well, then, let me now have the rest of my answer:-seeing that rhetoric is one of those arts which works mainly by the use of words, and there are other arts which also use words, tell m e what is that quality in words with which rhetoric is concerned:-Suppose that a person asks me about some of the arts which I was mentioning just now; he might say, "Socrates, what is arithmetic?" and I should reply to him, as you replied to me , that arithmetic is one of those arts which take effect through words. And then he would proceed to ask: "Words about what?" and I should reply, Words about and even numbers, and how many there are of each. And if he asked again: "What is the art of calculation?" I should say, That also is one of the arts which is concerned wholly with words. And if he further said, "Concerned with what?" I should say, like the clerks in the assembly, "as aforesaid" of arithmetic, but with a difference, the difference being that the art of calculation considers not only the quantities of odd and even numbers, but also their numerical relations to themselves and to one another. And suppose, again, I were to say that astronomy is onl y word-he would ask, "Words about what, Socrates?" and I should answer, that astronomy tells us about the motions of the stars and sun and moon, and their relative swiftness.

Gorgias replies You would be quite right, Socrates.
Gorgias alternativeYou've missed the point Socrates.




Socrates asks, And now let us have from you, Gorgias, the truth about rhetoric: which you would admit (would you not?) to be one of those arts which act always and fulfil all their ends through the med ium of words?

Gorgias replies True.
Gorgias alternative Possibly, but maybe not.




Socrates asks, Words which do what? I should ask. To what class of things do the words which rhetoric uses relate?

Gorgias replies To the greatest, Socrates, and the best of human things.
Gorgias alternative To what class, Socrates? That is a difficult question to answer.




Socrates asks, That again, Gorgias is ambiguous; I am still in the dark: for which are the greatest and best of human things? I dare say that you have heard men singing at feasts the old drinking song, in which the singers enumerate the goods of life, first health, beauty next, thirdly, as the writer of the song says, wealth honesty obtained.

Gorgias replies Yes, I know the song; but what is your drift?
Gorgias alternative You change my meaning.




Socrates asks, I mean to say, that the producers of those things which the author of the song praises, that is to say, the physician, the trainer, the money-maker, will at once come to you, and first the physician will say: "O Socrates, Gorgias is deceiving you, for my art is concerned with the greatest good of men and not his." And when I ask, Who are you? he will reply, "I am a physician." What do you mean? I shall say. Do you me an that your art produces the greatest good? "Certainly," he will answer, "for is not health the greatest good? What greater good can men have, Socrates?" And after him the trainer will come and say, "I too, Socrates, shall be gre atly surprised if Gorgias can show more good of his art than I can show of mine." To him again I shall say, Who are you, honest friend, and what is your business? "I am a trainer," he will reply, "and my business is to make men beautif ul and strong in body." When I have done with the trainer, there arrives the money-maker, and he, as I expect, utterly despise them all. "Consider Socrates," he will say, "whether Gorgias or any one-else can produce any greater good th an wealth." Well, you and I say to him, and are you a creator of wealth? "Yes," he replies. And who are you? "A money-maker." And do you consider wealth to be the greatest good of man? "Of course," will be his reply. And we shall rejoin: Yes; but our friend Gorgias contends that his art produces a greater good than yours. And then he will be sure to go on and ask, "What good? Let Gorgias answer." Now I want you, Gorgias, to imagine that this question is asked o f you by them and by me; What is that which, as you say, is the greatest good of man, and of which you are the creator? Answer us.

Gorgias replies That good, Socrates, which is truly the greatest, being that which gives to men freedom in their own persons, and to individuals the power of ruling over others in their several states.
Gorgias alternative Answer you I shall, Socrates. Hear me out.




Socrates asks, And what would you consider this to be?

Gorgias replies What is there greater than the word which persuades the judges in the courts, or the senators in the council, or the citizens in the assembly, or at any other political meeting?-if you have the power of uttering this word, you will have the physician your slave, and the trainer your slave, and the money-maker of whom you talk will be found to gather treasures, not for himself, but for you who are able to speak and to persuade the multitude.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Now I think, Gorgias, that you have very accurately explained what you conceive to be the art of rhetoric; and you mean to say, if I am not mistaken, that rhetoric is the artificer of p ersuasion, having this and no other business, and that this is her crown and end. Do you know any other effect of rhetoric over and above that of producing persuasion?

Gorgias replies No: the definition seems to me very fair, Socrates; for persuasion is the chief end of rhetoric.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Then hear me, Gorgias, for I am quite sure that if there ever was a man who-entered on the discussion of a matter from a pure love of knowing the truth, I am such a one, and I should sa y the same of you.

Gorgias replies What is coming, Socrates?
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, I will tell you: I am very well aware that do not know what, according to you, is the exact nature, or what are the topics of that persuasion of which you speak, and which is given by r hetoric; although I have a suspicion about both the one and the other. And I am going to ask-what is this power of persuasion which is given by rhetoric, and about what? But why, if I have a suspicion, do I ask instead of telling you? Not for your sake, b ut in order that the argument may proceed in such a manner as is most likely to set forth the truth. And I would have you observe, that I am right in asking this further question: If I asked, "What sort of a painter is Zeuxis?" and you said, &qu ot;The painter of figures," should I not be right in asking, What kind of figures, and where do you find them?"

Gorgias replies Certainly.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And the reason for asking this second question would be, that there are other painters besides, who paint many other figures?

Gorgias replies True.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, But if there had been no one but Zeuxis who painted them, then you would have answered very well?

Gorgias replies Quite so.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Now I was it to know about rhetoric in the same way;-is rhetoric the only art which brings persuasion, or do other arts have the same effect? I mean to say-Does he who teaches anything persuade men of that which he teaches or not?

Gorgias replies He persuades, Socrates,-there can be no mistake about that.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Again, if we take the arts of which we were just now speaking:-do not arithmetic and the arithmeticians teach us the properties of number?

Gorgias replies Certainly.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And therefore persuade us of them?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Then arithmetic as well as rhetoric is an artificer of persuasion?

Gorgias replies Clearly.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And if any one asks us what sort of persuasion, and about what,-we shall answer, persuasion which teaches the quantity of odd and even; and we shall be able to show that all the other a rts of which we were just now speaking are artificers of persuasion, and of what sort, and about what.

Gorgias replies Very true.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Then rhetoric is not the only artificer of persuasion?

Gorgias replies True.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Seeing, then, that not only rhetoric works by persuasion, but that other arts do the same, as in the case of the painter, a question has arisen which is a very fair one: Of what persuas ion is rhetoric the artificer, and about what?-is not that a fair way of putting the question?

Gorgias replies I think so.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Then, if you approve the question, Gorgias, what is the answer?

Gorgias replies I answer, Socrates, that rhetoric is the art of persuasion in courts of law and other assemblies, as I was just now saying, and about the just and unjust.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And that, Gorgias, was what I was suspecting to be your notion; yet I would not have you wonder if by-and-by I am found repeating a seemingly plain question; for I ask not in order to c onfute you, but as I was saying that the argument may proceed consecutively, and that we may not get the habit of anticipating and suspecting the meaning of one another's words; I would have you develop your own views in your own way, whatever may be your hypothesis.

Gorgias replies I think that you are quite right, Socrates.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Then let me raise another question; there is such a thing as "having learned"?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And there is also "having believed"?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And is the "having learned" the same "having believed," and are learning and belief the same things?

Gorgias replies In my judgment, Socrates, they are not the same.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And your judgment is right, as you may ascertain in this way:-If a person were to say to you, "Is there, Gorgias, a false belief as well as a true?" -you would reply, if I am not mistaken, that there is.

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Well, but is there a false knowledge as well as a true?

Gorgias replies No.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, No, indeed; and this again proves that knowledge and belief differ.

Gorgias replies Very true.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And yet those who have learned as well as those who have believed are persuaded?

Gorgias replies Just so.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Shall we then assume two sorts of persuasion,-one which is the source of belief without knowledge, as the other is of knowledge?

Gorgias replies By all means.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And which sort of persuasion does rhetoric create in courts of law and other assemblies about the just and unjust, the sort of persuasion which gives belief without knowledge, or that w hich gives knowledge?

Gorgias replies Clearly, Socrates, that which only gives belief.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Then rhetoric, as would appear, is the artificer of a persuasion which creates belief about the just and unjust, but gives no instruction about them?

Gorgias replies True.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And the rhetorician does not instruct the courts of law or other assemblies about things just and unjust, but he creates belief about them; for no one can be supposed to instruct such a vast multitude about such high matters in a short time?

Gorgias replies Certainly not.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Come, then, and let us see what we really mean about rhetoric; for I do not know what my own meaning is as yet. When the assembly meets to elect a physician or a shipwright or any other craftsman, will the rhetorician be taken into counsel? Surely not. For at every election he ought to be chosen who is most skilled; and, again, when walls have to be built or harbours or docks to be constructed, not the rhetorician but the master workman will advise; or when generals have to be chosen and an order of battle arranged, or a proposition taken, then the military will advise and not the rhetoricians: what do you say, Gorgias? Since you profess to be a rhetorician and a maker of rhetoricians, I cannot do better than learn the nature of your art from you. And here let me assure you that I have your interest in view as well as my own. For likely enough some one or other of the young men present might desire to become your pupil, and in fact I se e some, and a good many too, who have this wish, but they would be too modest to question you. And therefore when you are interrogated by me, I would have you imagine that you are interrogated by them. "What is the use of coming to you, Gorgias? they will say about what will you teach us to advise the state?-about the just and unjust only, or about those other things also which Socrates has just mentioned? How will you answer them?

Gorgias replies I like your way of leading us on, Socrates, and I will endeavour to reveal to you the whole nature of rhetoric. You must have heard, I think, that the docks and the walls of the Athenians and th e plan of the harbour were devised in accordance with the counsels, partly of Themistocles, and partly of Pericles, and not at the suggestion of the builders.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Such is the tradition, Gorgias, about Themistocles; and I myself heard the speech of Pericles when he advised us about the middle wall.

Gorgias replies And you will observe, Socrates, that when a decision has to be given in such matters the rhetoricians are the advisers; they are the men who win their point.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, I had that in my admiring mind, Gorgias, when I asked what is the nature of rhetoric, which always appears to me, when I look at the matter in this way, to be a marvel of greatness.

Gorgias replies A marvel, indeed, Socrates, if you only knew how rhetoric comprehends and holds under her sway all the inferior arts. Let me offer you a striking example of this. On several occasions I have bee n with my brother Herodicus or some other physician to see one of his patients, who would not allow the physician to give him medicine, or apply a knife or hot iron to him; and I have persuaded him to do for me what he would not do for the physician just by the use of rhetoric. And I say that if a rhetorician and a physician were to go to any city, and had there to argue in the Ecclesia or any other assembly as to which of them should be elected state-physician, the physician would have no chance; but he who could speak would be chosen if he wished; and in a contest with a man of any other profession the rhetorician more than any one would have the power of getting himself chosen, for he can speak more persuasively to the multitude than any of them, and o n any subject. Such is the nature and power of the art of rhetoric And yet, Socrates, rhetoric should be used like any other competitive art, not against everybody-the rhetorician ought not to abuse his strength any more than a pugilist or pancratiast or other master of fence; because he has powers which are more than a match either for friend or enemy, he ought not therefore to strike, stab, or slay his friends. Suppose a man to have been trained in the palestra and to be a skilful boxer-he in the fulnes s of his strength goes and strikes his father or mother or one of his familiars or friends; but that is no reason why the trainers or fencing-masters should be held in detestation or banished from the city-surely not. For they taught their art for a good purpose, to be used against enemies and evil-doers, in self-defence not in aggression, and others have perverted their instructions, and turned to a bad use their own strength and skill. But not on this account are the teachers bad, neither is the art in fault, or bad in itself; I should rather say that those who make a bad use of the art are to blame. And the same argument holds good of rhetoric; for the rhetorician can speak against all men and upon any subject-in short, he can persuade the multitude be tter than any other man of anything which he pleases, but he should not therefore seek to defraud the physician or any other artist of his reputation merely because he has the power; he ought to use rhetoric fairly, as he would also use his athletic power s. And if after having become a rhetorician he makes a bad use of his strength and skill, his instructor surely ought not on that account to be held in detestation or banished. For he was intended by his teacher to make a good use of his instructions, but he abuses them. And therefore he is the person who ought to be held in detestation, banished, and put to death, and not his instructor.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, You, Gorgias, like myself, have had great experience of disputations, and you must have observed, I think, that they do not always terminate in mutual edification, or in the definition by either party of the subjects which they are discussing; but disagreements are apt to arise-somebody says that another has not spoken truly or clearly; and then they get into a passion and begin to quarrel, both parties conceiving that their opponents a re arguing from personal feeling only and jealousy of themselves, not from any interest in the question at issue. And sometimes they will go on abusing one another until the company at last are quite vexed at themselves for ever listening to such fellows. Why do I say this? Why, because I cannot help feeling that you are now saying what is not quite consistent or accordant with what you were saying at first about rhetoric. And I am afraid to point this out to you, lest you should think that I have some an imosity against you, and that I speak, not for the sake of discovering the truth, but from jealousy of you. Now if you are one of my sort, I should like to cross-examine you, but if not I will let you alone. And what is my sort? you will ask. I am one of those who are very willing to be refuted if I say anything which is not true, and very willing to refute any one else who says what is not true, and quite as ready to be refuted as to refute-I for I hold that this is the greater gain of the two, just as t he gain is greater of being cured of a very great evil than of curing another. For I imagine that there is no evil which a man can endure so great as an erroneous opinion about the matters of which we are speaking and if you claim to be one of my sort, le t us have the discussion out, but if you would rather have done, no matter-let us make an end of it.

Gorgias replies I should say, Socrates, that I am quite the man whom you indicate; but, perhaps, we ought to consider the audience, for, before you came, I had already given a long exhibition, and if we proceed the argument may run on to a great length. And therefore I think that we should consider whether we, may not be detaining some part of the company when they are wanting to do something else.
Gorgias alternative



Chaer. You hear the audience cheering, Gorgias and Socrates, which shows their desire to listen to you; and for myself, Heaven forbid that I should have any business on hand which would take me Away from a discussion so inte resting and so ably maintained.

Cal. By the gods, Chaerephon, although I have been present at many discussions, I doubt whether I was ever so much delighted before, and therefore if you go on discoursing all day I shall be the better pleased.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, I may truly say, Callicles, that I am willing, if Gorgias is.

Gorgias replies After all this, Socrates, I should be disgraced if I refused, especially as I have promised to answer all comers; in accordance with the wishes of the company, them, do you begin. and ask of me any question which you like.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Let me tell you then, Gorgias, what surprises me in your words; though I dare say that you may be right, and I may have understood your meaning. You say that you can make any man, who w ill learn of you, a rhetorician?

Gorgias replies Yes.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Do you mean that you will teach him to gain the ears of the multitude on any subject, and this not by instruction but by persuasion?

Gorgias replies Quite so.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, You were saying, in fact, that the rhetorician will have, greater powers of persuasion than the physician even in a matter of health?

Gorgias replies Yes, with the multitude-that is.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, You mean to say, with the ignorant; for with those who know he cannot be supposed to have greater powers of persuasion.

Gorgias replies Very true.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, But if he is to have more power of persuasion than the physician, he will have greater power than he who knows?

Gorgias replies Certainly.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Although he is not a physician:-is he?

Gorgias replies No.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And he who is not a physician must, obviously, be ignorant of what the physician knows.

Gorgias replies Clearly.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Then, when the rhetorician is more persuasive than the physician, the ignorant is more persuasive with the ignorant than he who has knowledge?-is not that the inference?

Gorgias replies In the case supposed:-Yes.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, And the same holds of the relation of rhetoric to all the other arts; the rhetorician need not know the truth about things; he has only to discover some way of persuading the ignorant t hat he has more knowledge than those who know?

Gorgias replies Yes, Socrates, and is not this a great comfort?-not to have learned the other arts, but the art of rhetoric only, and yet to be in no way inferior to the professors of them?
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Whether the rhetorician is or not inferior on this account is a question which we will hereafter examine if the enquiry is likely to be of any service to us; but I would rather begin by asking, whether he is as ignorant of the just and unjust, base and honourable, good and evil, as he is of medicine and the other arts; I mean to say, does he really know anything of what is good and evil, base or honourable, just or unjust in them; or ha s he only a way with the ignorant of persuading them that he not knowing is to be esteemed to know more about these things than some. one else who knows? Or must the pupil know these things and come to you knowing them before he can acquire the art of rhe toric? If he is ignorant, you who are the teacher of rhetoric will not teach him-it is not your business; but you will make him seem to the multitude to know them, when he does not know them; and seem to be a good man, when he is not. Or will you be unabl e to teach him rhetoric at all, unless he knows the truth of these things first? What is to be said about all this? By heavens, Gorgias, I wish that you would reveal to me the power of rhetoric, as you were saying that you would.

Gorgias replies Well, Socrates, I suppose that if the pupil does chance not to know them, he will have to learn of me these things as well.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Say no more, for there you are right; and so he whom you make a rhetorician must either know the nature of the just and unjust already, or he must be taught by you.

Gorgias replies Certainly.
Gorgias alternative




Socrates asks, Well, and is not he who has learned carpentering a carpenter?

Gorgias replies Yes.
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Socrates asks, And he who has learned music a musician?

Gorgias replies Yes.
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Socrates asks, And he who has learned medicine is a physician, in like manner? He who has learned anything whatever is that which his knowledge makes him.

Gorgias replies Certainly.
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Socrates asks, And in the same way, he who has learned what is just is just?

Gorgias replies To be sure.
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Socrates asks, And he who is just may be supposed to do what is just?

Gorgias replies Yes.
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Socrates asks, And must not the just man always desire to do what is just?

Gorgias replies That is clearly the inference.
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Socrates asks, Surely, then, the just man will never consent to do injustice?

Gorgias replies Certainly not.
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Socrates asks, And according to the argument the rhetorician must be a just man?

Gorgias replies Yes.
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Socrates asks, And will therefore never be willing to do injustice?

Gorgias replies Clearly not.
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Socrates asks, But do you remember saying just now that the trainer is not to be accused or banished if the pugilist makes a wrong use of his pugilistic art; and in like manner, if the rhetorician mak es a bad and unjust use of rhetoric, that is not to be laid to the charge of his teacher, who is not to be banished, but the wrong-doer himself who made a bad use of his rhetoric-he is to be banished-was not that said?

Gorgias replies Yes, it was.
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Socrates asks, But now we are affirming that the aforesaid rhetorician will never have done injustice at all?

Gorgias replies True.
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Socrates asks, And at the very outset, Gorgias, it was said that rhetoric treated of discourse, not [like arithmetic] about odd and even, but about just and unjust? Was not this said?

Gorgias replies Yes.
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Socrates asks, I was thinking at the time, when I heard you saying so, that rhetoric, which is always discoursing about justice, could not possibly be an unjust thing. But when you added, shortly afte rwards, that the rhetorician might make a bad use of rhetoric I noted with surprise the inconsistency into which you had fallen; and I said, that if you thought, as I did, that there was a gain in being refuted, there would be an advantage in going on wit h the question, but if not, I would leave off. And in the course of our investigations, as you will see yourself, the rhetorician has been acknowledged to be incapable of making an unjust use of rhetoric, or of willingness to do injustice. By the dog, Gorgias, there will be a great deal of discussion, before we get at the truth of all this.