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τί ἔρωμαι: deliberative subjunctive.

ὅστις ἐστίν: ὅστις is regularly used to ask the question ‘who’ after a neg. (cf. 524 e, 526 b); but in all cases it may be used to express the idea of quality. See on 453 b.

ὥσπερ ἂν . . . ἀπεκρίνατο ἄν: ὥσπερ ἂν εἰ is phraseological, and the second ἄν comes in unconsciously with the conditional apodosis. The use of the aor. with ἄν in the apodosis, following an imperf. with εἰ in the protasis, where both refer to the same sphere of time, is not uncommon. In Plato, according to GMT. 414, it appears to be confined to such phrases as εἶπον ἄν, ἀπεκρινάμην ἄν. But similar constructions with other verbs are found in Dem., Aristoph., Soph., Eur., Xen., etc. Cf. Dem. xix. 162, Ar. Eq. 507.

δημιουργός: see on 452 a.

μανθάνω: one example suffices to make the idea of Socrates clear to Chaerephon; two are not enough for Polus. This is, however, due to the fact that Chaerephon is familiar with Socrates' methods, while they are new and strange to Polus.

ἀποκρίνεσθαι κτἑ.: this is the τί of Socrates' question above in c. The tense shows that it is a general standing announcement.

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hide References (4 total)
  • Commentary references from this page (4):
    • Plato, Gorgias, 452a
    • Plato, Gorgias, 453b
    • Plato, Gorgias, 524e
    • Plato, Gorgias, 526b
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