HIPPIAS (major) by Plato - Complete text

Page 15

Soc.: "Why, then," he will say, "did he not make the middle parts of the eyes also of ivory, but of stone, procuring stone as similar as possible to the ivory? Or is beautiful stone also beautiful?" Shall we say that it is, Hippias?

Hip.: Surely we shall say so, that is, where it is appropriate.

Soc.: "But ugly when not appropriate?" Shall I agree, or not?

Hip.: Agree, that is, when it is not appropriate.

Soc.: "What then? Do not gold and ivory," he will say, "when they are appropriate, make things beautiful, and when they are not appropriate, ugly?" Shall we deny that, or agree that what he says is correct?

Hip.: We shall agree to this, at any rate, that whatever is appropriate to any particular thing makes that thing beautiful.

Soc.: "Well, then," he will say, "when some one has boiled the pot of which we were speaking just now, the beautiful one, full of beautiful soup, is a golden ladle appropriate to it, or one made of fig wood?"

Hip.: Heracles ! What a fellow this is that you speak of ! Won't you tell me who he is?

Soc.: You would not know him if I should tell you his name.

Hip.: But even now I know that he is an ignoramus.

Soc.: He is a great nuisance, Hippias, but yet, what shall we say? Which of the two ladles shall we say is appropriate to the soup and the pot? Is it not evidently the one of fig wood? For it is likely to make the soup smell better, and besides, my friend, it would not break the pot, thereby spilling the soup, putting out the fire, and making those who are to be entertained go without their splendid soup ; whereas the golden ladle would do all those things, so that it seems to me that we must say that the wooden ladle is more appropriate than the golden one, unless you disagree.

Hip.: No, for it is more appropriate, Socrates ; however, I, for my part, would not talk with the fellow when he asks such questions.

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Plato : HIPPIAS (major)

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