Gymnastic Maieutic Peirastic Agonistic Endeietic Anatreptic

The learned reader will observe the latter half of the dialogues, according
to this scheme, to be described by metaphors taken from the gymnastic art:
the dialogues, here termed gymnastic, being imagined to bear a similitude
to that exercise; the agonistic, to the combat. In the lowest subdivision,
indeed, the word maieutic is a metaphor of another kind, fully explained in
Plato's Theaetetus: the maieutic dialogues, however, were supposed to
resemble giving the rudiments of the art; as the peirastic were, to
represent a skirmish, or trial of proficiency; the endeietic were, it
seems, likened to the exhibiting a specimen of skill; and the anatreptic,
to presenting the spectacle of a thorough defeat, or sound drubbing. The
principal reason why we contented not ourselves with this account of the
difference between the dialogues of Plato, was the capital error there
committed in the first subdivision, of course extending itself through the
latter. This error consists in dividing the Didactic dialogues with regard
to their subject-matter; while those of the Inquisitive sort are divided
with respect to the manner of their composition. So that the subdivisions
fall not, with any propriety, under one and the same general head. Besides,
a novice in the works of Plato might hence be led naturally to suppose,
that the dogmatical or didactic dialogues are, all of them, written in the
same manner; and that the others, those of the inquisitive kind, by us
termed sceptical, have no particular subjects at all; or, if they have,
that their subjects are different from those of the didactic dialogues,
and are consequently unphilosophical. Now every one of the suppositions
here mentioned is far from being true.
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The philosopher, in thus varying his manner, and diversifying his
writings into these several kinds, means not merely to entertain with
their variety; not to teach, on different occasions, with more or less
plainness and perspicuity; not yet to insinuate different degrees of
certainty in the doctrines themselves: but he takes this method, as a
consummate master of the art of composition in the dialogue-way of
writing, from the different characters of the speakers, as from different
elements in the frame of these dramatic dialogues, or different
ingredients in their mixture, producing some peculiar genius and turn of
temper, as it were, in each.

Socrat