Gorgias

The Gorgias is a philosophical dialogue composed by Plato in the early fourth century BCE, probably in the early 380s. Set within the cultural and historical background of classical Athens, the Gorgias takes the form of a debate between Socrates and the orators Gorgias, Polus, and Callicles. The dialogue explores questions about The Nature and Social Function of Oratory, The Meaning of Right and Wrong, and The Purpose of Art, offering valuable insights into Athenian social and political life in the fifth and fourth centuries BCE.

This study guide uses the revised 2004 Penguin Classics edition of the dialogue translated by Walter Hamilton and Chris Emlyn-Jones.

Summary

The dialogue is set in a building where the famous orator Gorgias has been lecturing, and begins with Socrates’s arrival. After a brief introduction in which Callicles, an aspiring politician who has been hosting Gorgias, greets Socrates and his companion Chaerephon, Socrates explains that he wishes to have a dialogue with Gorgias. Socrates asks Gorgias about the exact nature of his art (techne), namely, oratory. Gorgias claims that orators teach their pupils the art of persuasion, specifically persuasion about what is right and what is wrong.