ould-be
physician?

PHAEDRUS: Quite true.

SOCRATES: And if Adrastus the mellifluous or Pericles heard of these
wonderful arts, brachylogies and eikonologies and all the hard names
which we have been endeavouring to draw into the light of day, what
would they say? Instead of losing temper and applying uncomplimentary
epithets, as you and I have been doing, to the authors of such an
imaginary art, their superior wisdom would rather censure us, as well
as them. 'Have a little patience, Phaedrus and Socrates, they would say;
you should not be in such a passion with those who from some want of
dialectical skill are unable to define the nature of rhetoric, and
consequently suppose that they have found the art in the preliminary
conditions of it, and when these have been taught by them to others,
fancy that the whole art of rhetoric has been taught by them; but as
to using the several instruments of the art effectively, or making the
composition a whole,--an application of it such as this is they regard
as an easy thing which their disciples may make for themselves.'

PHAEDRUS: I quite admit, Socrates, that the art of rhetoric which these
men teach and of which they write is such as you describe--there I
agree with you. But I still want to know where and how the true art of
rhetoric and persuasion is to be acquired.

SOCRATES: The perfection which is required of the finished orator is,
or rather must be, like the perfection of anything else; partly given by
nature, but may also be assisted by art. If you have the natural power
and add to it knowledge and practice, you will be a distinguished
speaker; if you fall short in either of these, you will be to that
extent defective. But the art, as far as there is an art, of rhetoric
does not lie in the direction of Lysias or Thrasymachus.

PHAEDRUS: In what direction then?

SOCRATES: I conceive Pericles to have been the most accomplished of
rhetoricians.

PHAEDRUS: What of that?

SOCRATES: All the great arts require discussion and high speculation
about the truths of nature; hence come loftiness of thought and
completeness of execution. And this, as I conceive, was the quality
which, in addition to his natural gifts, Pericles acquired from his
intercourse with Anaxagoras whom he happened to know. He was thus imbued
with the higher philosophy, and attained the knowledge of Mind and the
negative of Mind, which were favourite themes of Anaxagoras, and applied
what suited his