Καινη Δι', αν ιδῃ γε που γεγραμμενον, Τον Πυριλαμπους εν θυρῶ Δημον καλον, &c. Aristophan. in Vespis, v. 98, and Scholia. The play of the Vespa was played eighteen years before the time of this dialogue. P. 482. ‘O Kλeivietos.] Alcibiades had now left Athens, and taken refuge in Thrace, and the year after he was murdered. Ρ. 484. Νομος, ὁ παντων βασιλευς.] A fragment of Pindar. Ib. Piloσopia yap Tol.] Aulus Gellius, L. 10, c. 22, having transcribed this passage at large, ending at the words ka adda wodda ayaða, (in p. 486.) makes several reflections upon it. "Plato veritatis homo amicissimus, ejusque omnibus exhibendæ promptissimus, quæ omnino dici possunt in desides istos ignavosque qui, obtento philosophiæ nomine, inutile otium. et linguæ vitæque tenebras sequuntur, ex personâ quidem non gravi neque idoneâ, verè tamen ingenuéque, dixit. Nam etsi Callicles, quem dicere hæc facit, veræ philosophiæ ignarus inhonesta et indigna in philosophos confert; proinde tamen accipienda sunt quæ dicuntur, ut nos sensim moveri intelligamus, ne ipsi quoque culpationes hujusmodi mereamur, neve inerti atque inani desidiâ, cultum et studium philosophia mentiamur," &c. though Gellius is certainly mistaken in this, justly incurring the same censure, as those whom Quintilian mentions, L. 2. 16, yet thus far he is right in saying, that Plato often put much truth and good sense into the mouth of characters which he did not approve. The Protagoras is a remarkable instance of this, where Socrates is introduced in the beginning, arguing against the very doctrine which naturally follows from those principles which he himself lays down in the end, and of which he obliges the sophist to confess the truth. Dacier, in his notes, has run into a thousand mistakes, by imagining all which is advanced by the characters opposed to Socrates in the disputation, to be absurd and ridiculous. The character, which Callicles here pretends to expose, is doubtless such as Plato thought worthy of a true philosopher, των κορυφαίων τινος, και ου φαύλως διατριβοντος εν φιλοσοφιᾳ. (Vid. Theætetum, p. 173.) Ρ. 484. Το του Ευριπίδου.] From that famous scene in the Antiope (a drama now lost) between Zethus and Amphion, Joshua Barnes reads, Εν τουτῳ γαρ Λαμπρος θ' ἑκαστος, καπι ταυτ' επείγεται. To this scene Horace alludes Lib. 1. Epist. 18. to Lollius "Gratia sic fratrum geminorum Amphionis atque Zethi dissiluit," &c. Ρ. 485. Και τας αγορας.] What passage of Homer is here alluded to? or is it Hesiod in his Theogonia, ν. 90. Μετα δε πρεπει αγρομένοισι. Ib. Προς τον αδελφον.] Alluding to the fragment of Antiope: Eurip. Edit. Barnes. p. 453. Ψυχης ὧδε γενναιαν φυσιν Γυναικομιμω διαπρεπείς μορφώματι. Ρ. 486. Αποθανοις αν. v.] From this, and from many other strokes against the people of Athens, which seem to carry a strong air of indignation and concern in them, it looks as if this dialogue had been written not long after the death of Socrates, perhaps while Plato was at Megara. Ib. Επι κοῤῥης.] The Ατιμοι might be struck by a citizen, without being able to call him to an account for it. Ib. Αλλ' ω 'ya@e.] Another fragment of the Antiope: Αλλ' εμοι πιθου, Παυσαι δ' αοιδων, πραγματων & ευμουσιαν Ib. The several kinds of Ariμia are enumerated in the oration of Andocides Περι Μυστηριων, p. 10. P. 487. Tisander of Aphidnæ; who seems to be the same mentioned by Socrates a year after this; (Xenoph. Aponemon. L. 2. sect. 7.) Nausicydes of Cholargi, Andro, the son of Androtion. P. 488. First proof against Callicles (who had advanced that by the law of nature the stronger had a right to govern the weaker) that the many are stronger than the few, and consequently ought to govern them so that the positive law of the commonwealth is the result of the law of nature. Ρ. 492. Τις δ' οιδεν, ει το ζήν.] eido, Fragm. p. 490. edit. Barnesii. Euripides in Poly The same senti ment is repeated again in other words in the Phryxus, ibid. p. 503. Ρ. 493. Ηκουσα των σοφων.] In Cratylo, p. 400. Σημα τινες φασιν αυτο ειναι της ψυχης, &c. Ib. Κομψος ανηρ, ισως Σικελος τις η Ιταλικος.] This idea (whosesoever it be) is imitated by Lucretius, L. 3. v. 949 and 1022: Omnia, pertusum congesta quasi in vas, I take this to be meant of Empedocles. P. 500. TeXVIKOS.] The philosopher. Vid. Protagoram, p. 357, and p. 509, 517, and 521 of this dialogue. P. 501. Cinesias, the son of Meles, was a dithyrambick poet in some sort of vogue among the people at this time. He was still a worse man than a writer, and the depravity of his character made even his misfortunes ridiculous; so that his poverty, his deformities, and his distempers, were not only produced on the stage, but frequently alluded to by the orators, and exposed to the scorn of the multitude. Vid. Aristophan. in Avibus, v. 1374, et Lysistrata, in Ranis, v. 369. Schol. in locum; et in ap. Athenæum, L. 12. p. 551.) Strattis, who lived at this time, made Cinesias the subject of an entire drama. See Lysias Απολογία Awрodoкias, p. 381. Fragm. Orat. contra Phanium ap. Athenæum ut supra, and in Taylor's edition, p. 640. Harpocration in voce Cinesias. Plutarch de gloria Atheniens. Pherecrates apud Plutarchum de Musicâ. See also the notes of Mr. Burette on that treatise, in the Mém. de l'Acad. des Inscript. vol. 15. p. 340, and Suidas in voce Cinesias. P. 503. The bold attack, made in this place on some of the greatest characters of antiquity, has drawn much censure on Plato; but we are to consider that he is here proving his favourite point, (which seems to me the grand aim and intention of this dialogue) that philosophy alone is the parent of virtue, the discoverer of those fixed and unerring principles, on which the truly great and good man builds his whole scheme of life, and by which he directs all his actions; and that he, who practises this noblest art, and makes it his whole endeavour to inspire his fellow citizens with a love for true knowledge, (and this was the constant view and the employment of Socrates) has infinitely the superiority not only over the masters of those arts, which the publick most admires, as musick, poetry, and eloquence, but over the most celebrated names in history, as heroes and statesmen; as the first have generally applied their talents to flatter the ear, to humour the prejudices, and to inflame the passions of mankind; and the latter to soothe their vanity, to irritate their ambition, and to cheat them with an apparent, not a real, greatness. P. 506. Tov Aupiovos.] Of which tragedy some few verses are still preserved to us; see Euripid. Fragm. ed. Barnesii, p. 454: Εγω μεν ουν αδοιμι, και λεγοιμι τι Σοφον, ταρασσων μηδεν, ὧν πολις νοσει, &c. Ρ. 508. Τω αδικουντι και κακιον.] This was not the principle only, but the practice, of Socrates. See Diog. Laert, L 2. sect. 21. |