§363ΕΥ. σὺ δὲ δὴ τί σιγᾷς, ὦ Σώκρατες, Ἱππίου τοσαῦτα ἐπιδειξαμένου, καὶ οὐχὶ ἢ συνεπαινεῖς τι τῶν εἰρημένων ἢ καὶ ἐλέγχεις, εἴ τί σοι μὴ καλῶς δοκεῖ εἰρηκέναι;
EU. But why, Socrates, are you silent, when Hippias has given such an exhibition, and do not either join in praising something of what was said or refute it, if he seems to you to have said anything not well?
ἄλλως τε ἐπειδὴ καὶ αὐτοὶ λελείμμεθα, οἳ μάλιστʼ ἂν ἀντιποιησαίμεθα μετεῖναι ἡμῖν τῆς ἐν φιλοσοφίᾳ διατριβῆς.
Especially since we ourselves have been left behind, who would most lay claim to having a share in philosophical pursuit.
ΣΩ. καὶ μήν, ὦ Εὔδικε, ἔστι γε ἃ ἡδέως ἂν πυθοίμην Ἱππίου ὧν νυνδὴ ἔλεγεν περὶ Ὁμήρου.
SO. And yet, Eudicus, there are indeed some things which I would gladly learn from Hippias of what he was just now saying about Homer.
καὶ γὰρ τοῦ σοῦ πατρὸς Ἀπημάντου ἤκουον ὅτι ἡ Ἰλιὰς κάλλιον εἴη ποίημα τῷ Ὁμήρῳ ἢ ἡ Ὀδύσσεια, τοσούτῳ δὲ κάλλιον, ὅσῳ ἀμείνων Ἀχιλλεὺς Ὀδυσσέως εἴη· ἑκάτερον γὰρ τούτων τὸ μὲν εἰς Ὀδυσσέα ἔφη πεποιῆσθαι, τὸ δʼ εἰς Ἀχιλλέα.
For indeed I used to hear from your father Apemantus that the Iliad is a finer poem of Homer's than the Odyssey, and finer by so much as Achilles is better than Odysseus; for he said that of these poems, the one was made with reference to Odysseus, and the other with reference to Achilles.
περὶ ἐκείνου οὖν ἡδέως ἄν, εἰ βουλομένῳ ἐστὶν Ἱππίᾳ, ἀναπυθοίμην ὅπως αὐτῷ δοκεῖ περὶ τοῖν ἀνδροῖν τούτοιν, πότερον ἀμείνω φησὶν εἶναι, ἐπειδὴ καὶ ἄλλα πολλὰ καὶ παντοδαπὰ ἡμῖν ἐπιδέδεικται καὶ περὶ ποιητῶν τε ἄλλων καὶ περὶ Ὁμήρου.
Concerning that matter, therefore, I would gladly, if Hippias is willing, inquire of him how it seems to him regarding these two men, which of them he says is better, since indeed many other things of all kinds have been exhibited to us by him, both about other poets and about Homer.
ΕΥ. ἀλλὰ δῆλον ὅτι οὐ φθονήσει Ἱππίας, ἐάν τι αὐτὸν ἐρωτᾷς, ἀποκρίνεσθαι.
EU. But it is clear that Hippias will not grudge to answer, if you ask him anything.
ἦ γάρ, ὦ Ἱππία, ἐάν τι ἐρωτᾷ σε Σωκράτης, ἀποκρινῇ;
Is it not so, Hippias, if Socrates asks you something, you will answer?
ἢ πῶς ποιήσεις;
Or how will you do?
ΙΠ. καὶ γὰρ ἂν δεινὰ ποιοίην, ὦ Εὔδικε, εἰ Ὀλυμπίαζε μὲν εἰς τὴν τῶν Ἑλλήνων πανήγυριν, ὅταν τὰ Ὀλύμπια ᾖ, ἀεὶ ἐπανιὼν οἴκοθεν ἐξ Ἤλιδος εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν παρέχω ἐμαυτὸν καὶ λέγοντα ὅτι ἄν τις βούληται ὧν ἄν μοι εἰς ἐπίδειξιν παρεσκευασμένον ᾖ, καὶ ἀποκρινόμενον τῷ βουλομένῳ ὅτι ἄν τις ἐρωτᾷ, νῦν δὲ τὴν Σωκράτους ἐρώτησιν φύγοιμι.
HIP. Indeed, I should act strangely, Eudicus, if, while always going up from home in Elis to the sacred precinct at Olympia, to the general assembly of the Greeks when the Olympic games are held, I present myself both to speak whatever anyone wishes of the things which have been prepared by me for exhibition, and to answer anyone who asks whatever he may ask, yet now I should flee from Socrates’ question.
§364ΣΩ. μακάριόν γε, ὦ Ἱππία, πάθος πέπονθας, εἰ ἑκάστης Ὀλυμπιάδος οὕτως εὔελπις ὢν περὶ τῆς ψυχῆς εἰς σοφίαν ἀφικνῇ εἰς τὸ ἱερόν· καὶ θαυμάσαιμʼ ἂν εἴ τις τῶν περὶ τὸ σῶμα ἀθλητῶν οὕτως ἀφόβως τε καὶ πιστευτικῶς ἔχων τῷ σώματι ἔρχεται αὐτόσε ἀγωνιούμενος, ὥσπερ σὺ φῂς τῇ διανοίᾳ.
SO. You have indeed had a blessed experience, Hippias, if at each Olympiad you arrive at the temple with such good hope concerning your soul in respect of wisdom; and I should wonder if any of the athletes of the body goes there to contend with his body so fearlessly and trustfully as you say you do with your mind.
ΙΠ. εἰκότως, ὦ Σώκρατες, ἐγὼ τοῦτο πέπονθα· ἐξ οὗ γὰρ ἦργμαι Ὀλυμπίασιν ἀγωνίζεσθαι, οὐδενὶ πώποτε κρείττονι εἰς οὐδὲν ἐμαυτοῦ ἐνέτυχον.
HIP. Naturally, Socrates, I have had this experience; for since I began to contend at Olympia, I have never met anyone superior to myself in anything.
ΣΩ. καλόν γε λέγεις, ὦ Ἱππία, καὶ τῇ Ἠλείων πόλει τῆς σοφίας ἀνάθημα τὴν δόξαν εἶναι τὴν σὴν καὶ τοῖς γονεῦσι τοῖς σοῖς.
SO. That is a fine thing you say, Hippias: that your reputation is a dedicatory offering of wisdom both to the city of the Eleans and to your parents.
ἀτὰρ τί δὴ λέγεις ἡμῖν περὶ τοῦ Ἀχιλλέως τε καὶ τοῦ Ὀδυσσέως;
But tell us, what do you say about Achilles and Odysseus?
πότερον ἀμείνω καὶ κατὰ τί φῂς εἶναι;
Which of them do you say is better, and in what respect?
ἡνίκα μὲν γὰρ πολλοὶ ἔνδον ἦμεν καὶ σὺ τὴν ἐπίδειξιν ἐποιοῦ, ἀπελείφθην σου τῶν λεγομένων—ὤκνουν γὰρ ἐπανερέσθαι, διότι ὄχλος τε πολὺς ἔνδον ἦν, καὶ μή σοι ἐμποδὼν εἴην ἐρωτῶν τῇ ἐπιδείξει—νυνὶ δὲ ἐπειδὴ ἐλάττους τέ ἐσμεν καὶ Εὔδικος ὅδε κελεύει ἐρέσθαι, εἰπέ τε καὶ δίδαξον ἡμᾶς σαφῶς, τί ἔλεγες περὶ τούτοιν τοῖν ἀνδροῖν;
For when we were many inside and you were making your exhibition, I missed what you were saying—for I hesitated to ask you again, because there was a great crowd inside, and lest I should be a hindrance to your exhibition by asking—but now, since we are fewer and Eudicus here bids me ask, speak and teach us clearly, what were you saying about these two men?
πῶς διέκρινες αὐτούς;
How did you distinguish them?
ΙΠ. ἀλλʼ ἐγώ σοι, ὦ Σώκρατες, ἐθέλω ἔτι σαφέστερον ἢ τότε διελθεῖν ἃ λέγω καὶ περὶ τούτων καὶ ἄλλων.
HIP. Well, Socrates, I am willing to explain to you even more clearly than then what I say both about these men and about others.
φημὶ γὰρ Ὅμηρον πεποιηκέναι ἄριστον μὲν ἄνδρα Ἀχιλλέα τῶν εἰς Τροίαν ἀφικομένων, σοφώτατον δὲ Νέστορα, πολυτροπώτατον δὲ Ὀδυσσέα.
For I say that Homer made Achilles the best man of those who came to Troy, Nestor the wisest, and Odysseus the wiliest.
ΣΩ. βαβαῖ, ὦ Ἱππία·
SO. Ah, Hippias!
ἆρʼ ἄν τί μοι χαρίσαιο τοιόνδε, μή μου καταγελᾶν, ἐὰν μόγις μανθάνω τὰ λεγόμενα καὶ πολλάκις ἀνερωτῶ;
Would you do me a favor like this: not to laugh at me if I understand what is said with difficulty and ask questions repeatedly?
ἀλλά μοι πειρῶ πρᾴως τε καὶ εὐκόλως ἀποκρίνεσθαι.
But try to answer me gently and good-naturedly.
ΙΠ. αἰσχρὸν γὰρ ἂν εἴη, ὦ Σώκρατες, εἰ ἄλλους μὲν αὐτὰ ταῦτα παιδεύω καὶ ἀξιῶ διὰ ταῦτα χρήματα λαμβάνειν, αὐτὸς δὲ ὑπὸ σοῦ ἐρωτώμενος μὴ συγγνώμην τʼ ἔχοιμι καὶ πρᾴως ἀποκρινοίμην.
HIP. For it would be shameful, Socrates, if I, on the one hand, teach others these very things and claim to receive money for this, yet on the other hand, when asked by you, I should not have indulgence and answer gently.
ΣΩ. πάνυ καλῶς λέγεις.
SO. You speak very well.
ἐγὼ γάρ τοι, ἡνίκα μὲν ἄριστον τὸν Ἀχιλλέα ἔφησθα πεποιῆσθαι, ἐδόκουν σου μανθάνειν ὅτι ἔλεγες, καὶ ἡνίκα τὸν Νέστορα σοφώτατον· ἐπειδὴ δὲ τὸν Ὀδυσσέα εἶπες ὅτι πεποιηκὼς εἴη ὁ ποιητὴς πολυτροπώτατον, τοῦτο δʼ, ὥς γε πρὸς σὲ τἀληθῆ εἰρῆσθαι, παντάπασιν οὐκ οἶδʼ ὅτι λέγεις.
For indeed, when you said that Achilles was made the best, I thought I understood what you were saying, and when you said Nestor was the wisest; but when you said that the poet had made Odysseus the wiliest, this, to tell you the truth, I do not understand at all what you mean.
καί μοι εἰπέ, ἄν τι ἐνθένδε μᾶλλον μάθω· ὁ Ἀχιλλεὺς οὐ πολύτροπος τῷ Ὁμήρῳ πεποίηται;
Tell me, so that I might understand better from this: has not Achilles been made wily by Homer?