Gonzalez Lodge, Commentary on Plato: Gorgias

αὐτόν: the regular designation for the master of the house, who is frequently opposed to the rest of the family as here. See on 447 c. The order of enumeration is noteworthy as showing the low estimation in which the women were held. The pl. may be due to assimilation to παῖδας, as we say “wife and child,” or it may be collective, “women folks.”

παρὰ τὴν θάλατταν: also effective in the portrayal of the seaman's unpretending nature.

ἐν μετρίῳ σχήματι: with unassuming carriage, has nothing to do with the dress, but merely with the deportment (cf. above, προσεσταλμένη). Perhaps there is a slight hit at Gorgias' pompous manner. See Introd. § 5 end

19 f.

λογίζεσθαι ... ἐπίσταται: naturally not meant in full earnest, and not without some color of irony. The change of tense in ὠφέληκε and ἔβλαψε is probably due merely to the frequency of the form.

20 f.

οὕστινας ωφέληκε κτἑ.: reminds us of Matt. xviii. 6, where of those who offend it is said: συμφέρει αὐτῷ ἵνα ... καταποντισθῇ ἐν τῷ πελάγει τῆς θαλάσσης.