The handbooks of speech
SocratesWho else? He also explains how to refute and refute again, both in accusation and in defence. And shall we leave the admirable Evenus of Paros out of our parade? He first devised insinuation and indirect praise; some say he even put indirect blame into verse to make it easier to remember. A clever man. But shall we let Tisias and Gorgias sleep? They held probability in higher esteem than truth. By the force of speech they make small things appear great and great things small; they make new things seem old and old things new; and for every subject they devised speeches of extreme brevity and endless length. When Prodicus once heard me describe this, he laughed. He said he alone had discovered the art of the speech that is needed: neither long nor short, but of the right measure.
PhaedrusWisdom indeed, Prodicus!
SocratesAnd shall we omit Hippias? I think our visitor from Elis would cast his vote with Prodicus.
PhaedrusWhy not?
SocratesAnd how are we to describe Polus’ treasury of verbal delights: its doublings, maxims and likenesses, and the words Licymnius gave him to make his language sound graceful?
PhaedrusDid Protagoras have something of that sort too, Socrates?