bout Themistocles; and I
myself heard the speech of Pericles when he advised us about the middle
wall.

GORGIAS: 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.

SOCRATES: 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: 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 been 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 the
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 on 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
fulness 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