ks that great want of manners
is shown in bringing the argument to such a pass. Socrates ironically
replies, that when old men trip, the young set them on their legs again;
and he is quite willing to retract, if he can be shown to be in error,
but upon one condition, which is that Polus studies brevity. Polus is
in great indignation at not being allowed to use as many words as he
pleases in the free state of Athens. Socrates retorts, that yet harder
will be his own case, if he is compelled to stay and listen to them.
After some altercation they agree (compare Protag.), that Polus shall
ask and Socrates answer.

'What is the art of Rhetoric?' says Polus. Not an art at all, replies
Socrates, but a thing which in your book you affirm to have created art.
Polus asks, 'What thing?' and Socrates answers, An experience or routine
of making a sort of delight or gratification. 'But is not rhetoric a
fine thing?' I have not yet told you what rhetoric is. Will you ask me
another question--What is cookery? 'What is cookery?' An experience or
routine of making a sort of delight or gratification. Then they are the
same, or rather fall under the same class, and rhetoric has still to be
distinguished from cookery. 'What is rhetoric?' asks Polus once more.
A part of a not very creditable whole, which may be termed flattery,
is the reply. 'But what part?' A shadow of a part of politics. This, as
might be expected, is wholly unintelligible, both to Gorgias and
Polus; and, in order to explain his meaning to them, Socrates draws a
distinction between shadows or appearances and realities; e.g. there is
real health of body or soul, and the appearance of them; real arts and
sciences, and the simulations of them. Now the soul and body have two
arts waiting upon them, first the art of politics, which attends on the
soul, having a legislative part and a judicial part; and another art
attending on the body, which has no generic name, but may also be
described as having two divisions, one of which is medicine and the
other gymnastic. Corresponding with these four arts or sciences there
are four shams or simulations of them, mere experiences, as they may be
termed, because they give no reason of their own existence. The art of
dressing up is the sham or simulation of gymnastic, the art of cookery,
of medicine; rhetoric is the simulation of justice, and sophistic of
legislation. They may be summed up in an arithmetical formula:--

Tiring: gymnastic: