Socrates continues to attempt to make Hippias rethink the notion that ability per se is good. Having questioned whether doing bad willingly (with ability) is better than doing bad unwillingly (without ability, and hence without choice) with regard to inanimate tools, he continues with animate tools (e.g., horses and slaves) whose souls do bad from choice (being able), and Hippias prefers even them to those who do bad unwillingly (without ability), but Hippias balks at the notion that we ourselves might do bad willingly.