James A. Towle, Commentary on Plato: Protagoras
James A. Towle, Ed.

νυκτῶν: the pl. is used in Attic with reference to the different parts of the night, horae nocturnae; so ἐκ νυκτῶν, μέσαι νύκτες. For the gen. after advs. of place, see G. 168; H. 757.

Cf. Hom. B 71 ἐμὲ δὲ γλυκὺς ὕπνος ἀνῆκεν, Moore ‘Ere slumber's chain has bound me.’ Weariness held Hippocrates as if in bonds (ἐκ). He means that he slept longer than he intended, or he would have come earlier.

οὕτω: Plato, more freq. than other writers, uses οὕτως (314 c), ἔπειτα (319 d), εἶτα (341 e) after partics., in imitation of the conversational style.

ἀνδρείαν: here nearly equiv. to προθυμίαν. Cf. Polit. 262 a προθυμότατα καὶ ἀνδρειότατα. Socrates notices the eagerness and excitement of Hippocrates, and pretends ignorance of the reason.

ἀδικεῖ: ἀδικεῖν is often equiv. to ἠδικηκέναι, ἄδικον εἶναι. The wrong continues in its effects, and so still exists. Similarly, νικᾶν be victor, ἡττᾶσθαι be vanquished, διώκειν be prosecutor, φεύγειν be an exile, ἥκειν have come, οἴχεσθαι have gone. Cf. 324 c. See G. 200 N. 3; H. 827.

αὐτῷ, ἐκεῖνον: both refer to the same person (Protagoras). Cf. Phaedo 111 b τὰς δὲ ὥρας αὐτοῖς κρᾶσιν (temperature) ἔχειν τοιαύτην, ὥστε ἐκείνους ἀνόσους εἶναι.—

ἂν αὐτῷ... λανγ̂γρεεκ>σοφόν: an ironical assurance, as though the payment of money were the sole condition needful. The receiving of money by the sophists for their instruction seemed to the best minds to be mercenary, and unworthy of the free and cultured Athenian. Cf. 311

β δ, 328 b, 349 a, Ar. Nub. 98 οὗτοι διδάσκουσ᾽ , ἀργύριον ἤν τις διδῷ.

ἐν . . . εἴη: would that it depended on that. Cf. 319 c, 354 e, 356 d, 357 a, 313 a with acc. and inf.