Gonzalez Lodge, Commentary on Plato: Gorgias

ἀνθρώπους: from the particular to the general, which also includes the particular. We should say “people” in the same way. It is remarkable, however, how quickly Socrates returns to the first person in the next clause. One must have in mind an individual before he can give particulars.

ὅπως ἐτύχομεν ποιῆσαι: is the contrast to κατορθῶσαι. When one is beginning in a profession much is necessarily, from inexperience, done at a risk, and may or may not suc ceed. For the phrase ὅπως ἐτύχομεν, cf. 521 c, Crito 45 d τὸ σὸν μέρος, ὅτι ἂν τύχωσι, τοῦτο πράξουσι, “the success of your sons is left as far as you are concerned to the caprice of chance.” Prot. 353 b ὅτι ἂν τύχωσι, τοῦτο λέγουσι, qui quidquid in buccam venit dicunt. The usual inference is unfavorable. The partic. is to be supplied from the following verb.

εἰ τῷ πίθῳ τὴν κεραμείαν: the proverb denotes, “to begin with the large instead of with the small.” Cf. Lach. 187 a εἰ γὰρ νῦν, πρῶτον ἄρξεσθε παιδεύειν, σκοπεῖν χρὴ μὴ οὐκ ἐν τῷ Καρὶ ὑμῖν ὁ κίνδυνος κινδυνεύηται, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν τοῖς ὑέσι τε καὶ ἐν τοῖς τῶν φίλων παισί, καὶ ἀτεχνῶς τὸ λεγόμενον κατὰ τὴν παροιμίαν ὑμῖν συμβαίνῃ ἐν πίθῳ ἡ κεραμεία γιγνομένη. A proverb from the potter's art was natural among the Athenians, where the art flourished (Κεραμεικός).