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physician； to whom should we send him？ Should we not send him to the
physicians？
Any。 Certainly。
Soc。 Or if we wanted him to be a good cobbler； should we not send
him to the cobblers？
Any。 Yes。
Soc。 And so forth？
Any。 Yes。
Soc。 Let me trouble you with one more question。 When we say that
we should be right in sending him to the physicians if we wanted him
to be a physician； do we mean that we should be right in sending him
to those who profess the art； rather than to those who do not； and
to those who demand payment for teaching the art； and profess to teach
it to any one who will come and learn？ And if these were our
reasons； should we not be right in sending him？
Any。 Yes。
Soc。 And might not the same be said of flute…playing； and of the
other arts？ Would a man who wanted to make another a flute…player
refuse to send him to those who profess to teach the art for money；
and be plaguing other persons to give him instruction； who are not
professed teachers and who never had a single disciple in that
branch of knowledge which he wishes him to acquire…would not such
conduct be the height of folly？
Any。 Yes； by Zeus； and of ignorance too。
Soc。 Very good。 And now you are in a position to advise with me
about my friend Meno。 He has been telling me； Anytus； that he
desires to attain that kind of wisdom and…virtue by which men order
the state or the house； and honour their parents； and know when to
receive and when to send away citizens and strangers； as a good man
should。 Now； to whom should he go in order that he may learn this
virtue？ Does not the previous argument imply clearly that we should
send him to those who profess and avouch that they are the common
teachers of all Hellas； and are ready to impart instruction to any one
who likes； at a fixed price？
Any。 Whom do you mean； Socrates？
Soc。 You surely know； do you not； Anytus； that these are the
people whom mankind call Sophists？
Any。 By Heracles； Socrates； forbear！ I only hope that no friend or
kinsman or acquaintance of mine； whether citizen or stranger； will
ever be so mad as to allow himself to be corrupted by them； for they
are a manifest pest and corrupting influences to those who have to
do with them。
Soc。 What； Anytus？ Of all the people who profess that they know
how to do men good； do you mean to say that these are the only ones
who not only do them no good； but positively corrupt those who are
entrusted to them； and in return for this disservice have the face
to demand money？ Indeed； I cannot believe you； for I know of a
single man； Protagoras； who made more out of his craft than the
illustrious Pheidias； who created such noble works； or any ten other
statuaries。 How could that A mender of old shoes； or patcher up of
clothes； who made the shoes or clothes worse than he received them；
could not have remained thirty days undetected； and would very soon
have starved； whereas during more than forty years； Protagoras was
corrupting all Hellas； and sending his disciples from him worse than
he received them； and he was never found out。 For； if I am not
mistaken；…he was about seventy years old at his death； forty of
which were spent in the practice of his profession； and during all
that time he had a good reputation； which to this day he retains：
and not only Protagoras； but many others are well spoken of； some
who lived before him； and others who are still living。 Now； when you
say that they deceived and corrupted the youth； are they to be
supposed to have corrupted them consciously or unconsciously？ Can
those who were deemed by many to be the wisest men of Hellas have been
out of their minds？
Any。 Out of their minds！ No； Socrates； the young men who gave
their money to them； were out of their minds； and their relations
and guardians who entrusted their youth to the care of these men
were still more out of their minds； and most of all； the cities who
allowed them to come in； and did not drive them out； citizen and
stranger alike。
Soc。 Has any of the Sophists wronged you； Anytus？ What makes you
so angry with them？
Any。 No； indeed； neither I nor any of my belongings has ever had；
nor would I suffer them to have； anything to do with them。
Soc。 Then you are entirely unacquainted with them？
Any。 And I have no wish to be acquainted。
Soc。 Then； my dear friend； how can you know whether a thing is
good or bad of which you are wholly ignorant？
Any。 Quite well； I am sure that I know what manner of men these are；
whether I am acquainted with them or not。
Soc。 You must be a diviner； Anytus； for I really cannot make out；
judging from your own words； how； if you are not acquainted with them；
you know about them。 But I am not enquiring of you who are the
teachers who will corrupt Meno （let them be； if you please； the
Sophists）； I only ask you to tell him who there is in this great
city who will teach him how to become eminent in the virtues which I
was just； now describing。 He is the friend of your family； and you
will oblige him。
Any。 Why do you not tell him yourself？
Soc。 I have told him whom I supposed to be the teachers of these
things； but I learn from you that I am utterly at fault； and I dare
say that you are right。 And now I wish that you； on your part； would
tell me to whom among the Athenians he should go。 Whom would you name？
Any。 Why single out individuals？ Any Athenian gentleman； taken at
random； if he will mind him； will do far more； good to him than the
Sophists。
Soc。 And did those gentlemen grow of themselves； and without
having been taught by any one； were they nevertheless able to teach
others that which they had never learned themselves？
Any。 I imagine that they learned of the previous generation of
gentlemen。 Have there not been many good men in this city？
Soc。 Yes； certainly； Anytus； and many good statesmen also there
always have been and there are still； in the city of Athens。 But the
question is whether they were also good teachers of their own
virtue；…not whether there are； or have been； good men in this part
of the world； but whether virtue can be taught； is the question
which we have been discussing。 Now； do we mean to say that the good
men our own and of other times knew how to impart to others that
virtue which they had themselves； or is virtue a thing incapable of
being communicated or imparted by one man to another？ That is the
question which I and Meno have been arguing。 Look at the matter in
your own way： Would you not admit that Themistocles was a good man？
Any。 Certainly； no man better。
Soc。 And must not he then have been a good teacher； if any man
ever was a good teacher； of his own virtue？
Any。 Yes certainly；…if he wanted to be so。