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φησίν: repeats the preceding
φησὶ γάρ.— ἐπεξέρχεται... λανγ̂γρεεκ>ῥήματι: persequitur et quasi hostiliter aggreditur. (Kroschel.)
ἐπαίνημι: see on 346 d.
The omission of ἄν with ὅστις and the subjv. is an old usage often followed by the poets. For the sing. referring to a pl. antec., cf. τούτους ὃς ἄν below, also ὃς ἂν τούτων e. See G. 151, N. 2, b; H. 609 a.
ἀνάγκῃ . . . μάχονται: prover bial. Cf. Legg. vii. 818 b ἀλλ᾽ ἔοικεν ὁ τὸν θεὸν πρῶτον παροιμιασάμενος εἰς ταῦτα ἀποβλέψας εἰπεῖν (but it is likely that he who at first made the proverb about God had this in mind when he said), ὡς οὐδὲ θεὸς ἀνάγκῃ μήποτε φανῇ μαχόμενος, Aesch. Prom. 515 τίς οὖν ἀνάγκης ἐστὶν οἰακοστρόφος (guide)? PROM. Μοῖραι τρίμορφοι μνήμονές τ᾽ Ἐρινύες. CHO. τούτων ἄρα Ζεύς ἐστιν ἀσθενέστερος; PROM. οὔκουν ἂν ἐκφύγοι γε τὴν πεπρωμένην (the appointed fate), cf. Gorg. 512 e.
This argument also is obviously ironical. ἀνάγκῃ above is clearly intended as the antithesis of ἑκών, and the poet really expresses thus the thought which Socrates combats. See on 343 e, 344 e.
σχεδόν τι: pretty nearly; here a courteous softening of the assertion. “I am pretty sure.” Cf. Charm. 164 d σχεδὸν γάρ τι ἔγωγε αὐτὸ τοῦτό φημι εἶναι σωφροσύνην, τὸ γιγνώσκειν ἑαυτόν. See on 348 c, l. 55.
Hermann Sauppe. James A. Towle. Commentary on Plato: Protagoras. Ginn & Company. Boston and London. 1889.
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