The Storyline of Plato's Protagoras

Abstract

In the first half of the dialogue, Socrates investigates Protagoras' moral principles. In the second half, the sophist utters a wise saying about ἀνδρeία, followed by Socrates unsaying the wise saying by replacing it with an alternative definition of ἀνδρeία. As Hippocrates intends to associate with Protagoras to acquire wisdom, the wise saying must be refuted and disappear lest Socrates lose his friendship, a relationship explicitly acknowledged at Prt. 313b1. Socrates' departure with the single companion with whom he came represents his success in overturning Protagoras' wise saying and preserving friendship with Hippocrates.