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1、PROTAGORASPlatoINTRODUCTION.TheProtagoras,likeseveraloftheDialoguesofPlato,isputintothemouthofSocrates,whodescribesaconversationwhichhadtakenplacebetweenhimselfandthegreatSophistatthehouseofCallias—'themanwhohadspentmoreupontheSophiststhanalltherestoftheworld'—andinwhichthelearnedHippiasandthegr
2、ammarianProdicushadalsoshared,aswellasAlcibiadesandCritias,bothofwhomsaidafewwords—inthepresenceofadistinguishedcompanyconsistingofdisciplesofProtagorasandofleadingAtheniansbelongingtotheSocraticcircle.ThedialoguecommenceswitharequestonthepartofHippocratesthatSocrateswouldintroducehimtothecelebr
3、atedteacher.Hehascomebeforethedawnhadrisen—sofervidishiszeal.Socratesmoderateshisexcitementandadviseshimtofindout'whatProtagoraswillmakeofhim,'beforehebecomeshispupil.TheygotogethertothehouseofCallias;andSocrates,afterexplainingthepurposeoftheirvisittoProtagoras,asksthequestion,'Whathewillmakeof
4、Hippocrates.'Protagorasanswers,'Thathewillmakehimabetterandawiserman.''Butinwhatwillhebebetter?'—Socratesdesirestohaveamorepreciseanswer.Protagorasreplies,'Thathewillteachhimprudenceinaffairsprivateandpublic;inshort,thescienceorknowledgeofhumanlife.'This,asSocratesadmits,isanobleprofession;buthe
5、isorratherwouldhavebeendoubtful,whethersuchknowledgecanbetaught,ifProtagorashadnotassuredhimofthefact,fortworeasons:(1)BecausetheAthenianpeople,whorecognizeintheirassembliesthedistinctionbetweentheskilledandtheunskilledinthearts,donotdistinguishbetweenthetrainedpoliticianandtheuntrained;(2)Becau
6、sethewisestandbestAtheniancitizensdonotteachtheirsonspoliticalvirtue.WillProtagorasanswertheseobjections?Protagorasexplainshisviewsintheformofanapologue,inwhich,afterPrometheushadgivenmenthearts,ZeusisrepresentedassendingHermestothem,bearingwithhimJusticeandReverence.Thesearenot,likethearts,tobe
7、impartedtoafewonly,butallmenaretobepartakersofthem.ThereforetheAthenianpeoplearerightindistinguishingbetweentheskilledandunskilledinthearts,andnotbetweenskilledandunskilledpoliticians.(1)Forallmenhavethepoliticalvirtuestoace
