James Adam, The Republic of Plato

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ἀποκλείονται κτλ. The simile is probably taken from the game of πόλεις, on which see IV 422 E note φέρωσιν is technical of a move at draughts: cf. Laws 739 A. The balance φέρωσιν— λέγωσιν deserves notice: in both words, stress should be laid on the first syllable. Cf. III 406 B note and Phaed. 83 D with Geddes ad loc. ἐν is used as in Euthyph. 11 C τὰ ἐν τοῖς λόγοις ἔργα ἀποδιδράσκει καὶ οὐκ ἐθέλει μένειν.

ταύτῃ=‘isto modo,’ ‘as you say.’ The simile is imitated by the author of the Eryxias (395 B).

ἔργῳ δὲ ὁρᾶν κτλ. expresses a widely prevalent view in ancient as well as in modern times. It is enunciated with admirable force and vigour by the Platonic Callicles in Gorg. 484 C—486 C: cf. also Theaet. 173 C ff. and Phaed. 64 B. Although Isocrates called himself a φιλόσοφος, he was in general agreement with the popular verdict on Philosophy in the Platonic sense of the term (τήν τε γεωμετρίαν καὶ τὴν ἀστρολογίαν καὶ τοὺς διαλόγους τοὺς ἐριστικοὺς καλουμένους, as he calls it Panath. 26): see adv. Soph. 1—8, 20, Antid. 258—269 (διατρῖψαι μὲν οὖν περὶ τὰς παιδείας ταύτας χρόνον τινὰ συμβουλεύσαιμ᾽ ἂν τοῖς νεωτέροις, μὴ μέντοι περιιδεῖν τὴν φύσιν τὴν αὑτῶν κατασκελετευθεῖσαν ἐπὶ τούτοις κτλ. 268) and Panath. 26— 32 (Spengel Isokr. u. Plato pp. 15 ff., Dümmler Chron. Beitr. pp. 43 ff. and Teichmüller Lit. Fehd. I p. 103. Teichmüller supposes that τις in νῦν γὰρ φαίη ἄν τις κτλ. above is a specific reference to Isocrates, but this is very improbable). The well-known sentiment of Ennius' Neoptolemus “philosophari est mihi necesse, at paucis; nam omnino haut placet. Degustandum ex ea, non in eam ingurgitandum censeo” (ap. Gell. Noct. Att. V 15. 9, 16. 5: cf. Cic. Tusc. Disp. II 1. 1 ff. al.) is probably translated from Euripides, but it admirably expresses the ordinary Roman view. See also on V 473 C, D.