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them； that their genuineness is neither proven nor disproven until further
evidence about them can be adduced。 And we are as confident that the
Epistles are spurious； as that the Republic； the Timaeus； and the Laws are
genuine。
On the whole； not a twentieth part of the writings which pass under the
name of Plato； if we exclude the works rejected by the ancients themselves
and two or three other plausible inventions； can be fairly doubted by those
who are willing to allow that a considerable change and growth may have
taken place in his philosophy （see above）。 That twentieth debatable
portion scarcely in any degree affects our judgment of Plato； either as a
thinker or a writer； and though suggesting some interesting questions to
the scholar and critic； is of little importance to the general reader。
LESSER HIPPIAS
by
Plato （see Appendix I above）
Translated by Benjamin Jowett
INTRODUCTION。
The Lesser Hippias may be compared with the earlier dialogues of Plato； in
which the contrast of Socrates and the Sophists is most strongly exhibited。
Hippias； like Protagoras and Gorgias； though civil； is vain and boastful：
he knows all things； he can make anything； including his own clothes； he is
a manufacturer of poems and declamations； and also of seal…rings； shoes；
strigils； his girdle； which he has woven himself； is of a finer than
Persian quality。 He is a vainer； lighter nature than the two great
Sophists （compare Protag。）； but of the same character with them； and
equally impatient of the short cut…and…thrust method of Socrates； whom he
endeavours to draw into a long oration。 At last； he gets tired of being
defeated at every point by Socrates； and is with difficulty induced to
proceed （compare Thrasymachus； Protagoras； Callicles； and others； to whom
the same reluctance is ascribed）。
Hippias like Protagoras has common sense on his side； when he argues；
citing passages of the Iliad in support of his view； that Homer intended
Achilles to be the bravest； Odysseus the wisest of the Greeks。 But he is
easily overthrown by the superior dialectics of Socrates； who pretends to
show that Achilles is not true to his word； and that no similar
inconsistency is to be found in Odysseus。 Hippias replies that Achilles
unintentionally； but Odysseus intentionally； speaks falsehood。 But is it
better to do wrong intentionally or unintentionally？ Socrates； relying on
the analogy of the arts； maintains the former； Hippias the latter of the
two alternatives。。。All this is quite conceived in the spirit of Plato； who
is very far from making Socrates always argue on the side of truth。 The
over…reasoning on Homer； which is of course satirical； is also in the
spirit of Plato。 Poetry turned logic is even more ridiculous than
'rhetoric turned logic；' and equally fallacious。 There were reasoners in
ancient as well as in modern times； who could never receive the natural
impression of Homer； or of any other book which they read。 The argument of
Socrates； in which he picks out the apparent inconsistencies and
discrepancies in the speech and actions of Achilles； and the final paradox；
'that he who is true is also false；' remind us of the interpretation by
Socrates of Simonides in the Protagoras； and of similar reasonings in the
first book of the Republic。 The discrepancies which Socrates discovers in
the words of Achilles are perhaps as great as those discovered by some of
the modern separatists of the Homeric poems。。。
At last； Socrates having caught Hippias in the toils of the voluntary and
involuntary； is obliged to confess that he is wandering about in the same
labyrinth； he makes the reflection on himself which others would make upon
him （compare Protagoras）。 He does not wonder that he should be in a
difficulty； but he wonders at Hippias； and he becomes sensible of the
gravity of the situation； when ordinary men like himself can no longer go
to the wise and be taught by them。
It may be remarked as bearing on the genuineness of this dialogue： （1）
that the manners of the speakers are less subtle and refined than in the
other dialogues of Plato； （2） that the sophistry of Socrates is more
palpable and unblushing； and also more unmeaning； （3） that many turns of
thought and style are found in it which appear also in the other
dialogues：whether resemblances of this kind tell in favour of or against
the genuineness of an ancient writing； is an important question which will
have to be answered differently in different cases。 For that a writer may
repeat himself is as true as that a forger may imitate； and Plato
elsewhere； either of set purpose or from forgetfulness； is full of
repetitions。 The parallelisms of the Lesser Hippias； as already remarked；
are not of the kind which necessarily imply that the dialogue is the work
of a forger。 The parallelisms of the Greater Hippias with the other
dialogues； and the allusion to the Lesser （where Hippias sketches the
programme of his next lecture； and invites Socrates to attend and bring any
friends with him who may be competent judges）； are more than suspicious：
they are of a very poor sort； such as we cannot suppose to have been due to
Plato himself。 The Greater Hippias more resembles the Euthydemus than any
other dialogue； but is immeasurably inferior to it。 The Lesser Hippias
seems to have more merit than the Greater； and to be more Platonic in
spirit。 The character of Hippias is the same in both dialogues； but his
vanity and boasting are even more exaggerated in the Greater Hippias。 His
art of memory is specially mentioned in both。 He is an inferior type of
the same species as Hippodamus of Miletus （Arist。 Pol。）。 Some passages in
which the Lesser Hippias may be advantageously compared with the
undoubtedly genuine dialogues of Plato are the following：Less。 Hipp。：
compare Republic （Socrates' cunning in argument）： compare Laches
（Socrates' feeling about arguments）： compare Republic （Socrates not
unthankful）： compare Republic （Socrates dishonest in argument）。
The Lesser Hippias； though inferior to the other dialogues； may be
reasonably believed to have been written by Plato； on the ground （1） of
considerable excellence； （2） of uniform tradition beginning with Aristotle
and his school。 That the dialogue falls below the standard of Plato's
other works； or that he has attributed to Socrates an unmeaning paradox
（perhaps with the view of showing that he could beat the Sophists at their
own weapons； or that he could 'make the worse appear the better cause'； or
merely as a dialectical experiment）are not sufficient reasons for
doubting the genuineness of the work。
LESSER HIPPIAS
by
Plato （see Appendix I above）
Translated by Benjamin Jowett。
PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE： Eudicus； Socrates； Hippias。
EUDICUS： Why are you silent； Socrates； after the magnificent display which
Hippias has been making？ Why do you not either refute his w