PLATO. 85 



tions, arguments and confirmations. I might also take notice of those, 

 who have taught how a plaintiff and defendant are to manage their 

 accusations and defences, replies and rejoinders ; and those who in- 

 vented panegyric and invective. We dismiss ' Lysias ' and ' Gorgias,' 

 who prefer an appearance of truth to the reality, and by the force of 

 their eloquence can make small things look great, old things new, and 

 the contrary; value themselves, sometimes on conciseness, at other 

 times on prolixity ; at which Prodicus laughed heartily one day, and 

 said, this art neither required very long nor very short sentences, but 

 moderate ones. He was right. Polus ought also to be praised, for 

 having added several graces to oratory. Protagoras likewise was very 

 elegant in his discourses ; Chalcedonius excelled in moving our pity 

 and compassion, in raising or calming our anger, and in raillery and 

 repartee ; they all agreed as to the nature of the conclusion which 

 some call a recapitulation. You mean, Socrates, one ought to sum 

 up the whole of his arguments in the end of his speech ? I do. 

 Well, continued Phaedrus, I see you look on all these precepts of these 

 rhetoricians as no more in effect than the first rudiments ; but pray in- 

 form me how shall one become perfect in the true art of persuasion ? 

 Perhaps, Phasdras, 'tis possible to become a master in this as well as 

 any other exercise: nay, you cannot fail if nature has bestowed a 

 genius, and you take care to cultivate it right. 



" In acquiring this art I am not for following the method of Lysias 

 and Thrasymachus, but another. What other ? Pericles my friend 

 seems to be reckoned the most perfect orator. Why? The more 

 excellent arts demand constant meditation, and an accurate inquiry into 

 the powers of nature ; hence we acquire true grandeur of mind, and a 

 capacity of performing everything in the best way. Pericles had a 

 fine natural genius, and improved it to the utmost by these studies ; 

 he was a constant companion of Anaxagoras, heard his lectures on 

 natural philosophy, on the temper of the human mind and its disorders, 

 became well acquainted with both, and drew from this fountain the 

 noblest helps to eloquence. How so? The art of medicine and 

 rhetoric are, in this respect, the same. In what ? You must atten- 

 tively consider the nature of the body in the one, of the mind in the 

 other : this, I say, you must do, if you are resolved, not empirically 

 but scientifically, to confer health and strength on the body by diet 

 and medicine : and by reason, and legitimate discipline to instil virtue 

 into the mind, and gain it by persuasion. That is highly probable, 

 Socrates. Do you think you can understand the nature of the human 

 mind, without knowing the nature of the whole ? If we believe Hip- 

 pocrates, the successor of ^Esculapius, we cannot know the nature of 

 the body, without applying to that study. His notion is just, Phasdras : 

 let us hear, then, in our researches into nature, what Hippocrates and 

 right reason suggest. Are not we to consider the nature of everything 

 in this manner ? First, whether what we ourselves desire to know, 

 and teach others, be simple or various ; if simple, we must learn its 



