Socrates eristically refutes Hippias' claim that Achilles is better than Odysseus by arguing that the true and the false are actually the same, but Hippias just as eristically escapes the refutation. Socrates until now had incidentally shown that Hippias is most able at calculation, but now Hippias in his escape allows Socrates to show that Hippias is most polytropos, as we'll see next time.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

So what was Hippias' prepared speech on Achilles, Nestor, and Odysseus about? And for what purpose? Being most able and most polytropos is distinguished.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

Socrates seems to have no idea how to win.an eristic debate. Instead of making the audience laugh at Hippias, he allows the sophist to agree that he, Hippias, is the most able, most expert, and best, at arithmetic.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

Homer is finally dropped from the conversation. Hippias will say what he and Homer think... Socrates asks about the false person, and Hippias in response, because of eristic choices (Black or White, no Grey) offered by Socrates, attributes to the false person: ability, prudence, and expertise.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

Socrates uses the eristic debate to predict what Hippias will say. Because Socrates attributes polytropos to Achilles, Hippias is required by eristics to give the term a negative connotation and reattribute it to Odysseus. LSJ, the Greek-English Lexicon, says that Plato gives the term this negative connotation, and makes Hippias' temporary wordplay an acceptable usage.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

Socrates is confused about the most obvious thing in Homer's Odyssey, applying Odysseus' epithet to Achilles. Hippias then has to explain that Achilles is better than Odysseus precisely because Achilles is not polytropos while Odysseus is. Socrates' trap is sprung.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

Apparently Hippias has a prepared speech for his exhibitions in which he claims that Homer made Achilles the best, Nestor the most expert, and Odysseus the most polytropos. Socrates is puzzled (only) by the last example, despite this epithet appearing in the first line of the Odyssey.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

The changing faces of Socrates' first question about Achilles and Odysseus. What is the connection between Hippias and the three Homeric heroes, Achilles, Nestor, and Odysseus?

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

Socrates, Hippias, and Eudicus cooperate to create a competition between Socrates and Hippias.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com

Socrates begins spinning his web. Using Eudicus' father, Socrates restricts Hippias, who hasn't even entered this conversation yet, to discussing just Achilles and Odysseus, and to supporting Achilles as the better hero, which everyone knows to be true anyway: he is aristos (best) in the Iliad.

Here I read through Platonic dialogues, translating and commenting on the Greek text as I go.

The resulting analyses may be found at:

https://theplatoparadigm.com