Plato and the Other Companions of Sokrates, 3rd ed. Volume 2

Knowledge of Good — appears postulated and divined, in many of the Platonic dialogues, under different titles

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The Good — the Profitable — what is it? — How are we to know it ? Plato leaves this undetermined

CHAPTER XIII.

HIPPIAS MAJOR — HIPPIAS MINOR.

Hippias Major — situation supposed — character of the dialogue. Sarcasm and mockery against Hippias

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Real debate between the historical Sokrates and Hippias in the Xenophontic Memorabilia — subject of that debate

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Opening of the Hippias Major — Hippias describes the successful circuit which he had made through Greece, and the renown as well as the gain acquired by his lectures

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Hippias had met with no success at Sparta. Why the Spartans did not admit his instructions — their law forbids

Question, What is law? The law-makers always aim at the Profitable, but sometimes fail to attain it. When they fail, they fail to attain law. The lawful is the Profitable: the Unprofitable is also unlawful

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Comparison of the argument of the Platonic Sokrates with that of the Xenophontic Sokrates

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The Just or Good is the beneficial or profitable. This is the only explanation which Plato ever gives and to this he does not always adhere

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Lectures of Hippias at Sparta not upon geometry, or astronomy, &c., but upon the question — What pursuits are beautiful, fine, and honourable for youth?

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Question put by Sokrates, in the name of a friend in the background, who has just been puzzling him with it — What is the Beautiful?

Hippias thinks the question easy to answer

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Justice, Wisdom, Beauty must each be something. What is Beauty, or the Beautiful?

Hippias does not understand the question. He answers by indicating one particularly beautiful object

Cross-questioning by Sokrates — Other things also are beautiful ; but each thing is beautiful only by comparison, or under some particular circumstances — it is sometimes beautiful, sometimes not beautiful

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Second answer of Hippias — Gold, is that by the presence of which all things become beautiful — scrutiny applied to the answer. Complaint by Hippias about vulgar analogies

Third answer of Hippias — questions upon it — proof given that it fails of universal application

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Farther answers, suggested by Sokrates himself — 1. The Suitable or Becoming — objections thereunto — it is rejected

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2. The useful or profitable — objections — it will not hold

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