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κολακεύσοντα: pronounces such a judgment upon διακονήσοντα that its opposition to the idea γενναῖος (γενναιότατε, γενναίως εἰπέ) is strongly emphasized.
εἴ σοι Μυσόν γε κτἑ.: when two conditional clauses are contrasted by εἰ μὲν . . . εἰ δὲ μή, we not infrequently find the conclusion of the first condition omitted. GMT. 482; H. 904 a. The sense of this passage seems to be: “Yes! if you prefer to use the vilest name for it.” The Mysians were so despised that even slaves brought from Mysia were as little thought of as the Sardi venales at Rome. Hence Μυσῶν ἔσχατος was a proverb (Theaet. 209 b τὸ λεγόμενον Μυσῶν τὸν ἔσχατον), meaning “the vilest of the vile.” Cic. pro Flacc. 27 Quid porro in Graeco sermone tam tritum atque celebratum est, quam si quis despicatui ducitur, ut Mysorum ultimus esse dicatur? κολακεύειν was an unpleasant word to the Greek ear, and doubtless offended the euphemistic taste of Callicles. Cf. the English proverb, ‘to call a spade a spade.’— ὡς: see on 509 e.—This passage has troubled the editors.
ὃ πολλάκις εἴρηκας: 486 a, b, 511 b. Polus, however, had already said the same.
ἐάν τι ἔχω: to be compared with χρήσεται αὐτοῖς in the line below.
ὅτι ἀλλ᾽ ἀφελόμενος: ὅτι is often used to introduce a direct quotation. For examples, see Spieker, Am. Jour. Phil. v. 220.
Gonzalez Lodge. Commentary on Plato Gorgias. Ginn & Company. Boston and London. 1891.
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