doubt whether you are expressing your own opinion or asking me a question.” (466) Polus’ oratory is so inherent, that he cannot even pose a question without attempting to force his opinion onto the listener.Socrates’ distaste for Polus’ use of oratory is evident throughout the discussion. Quite often, Socrates is rude to Polus, simply because it is nearly impossible for him to carry on the level of questioning that he wishes with someone so set on asking closed questions. When Polus asks him if he thinks “that good orators are meanly thought of in a state, and regarded as pander”, Socrates coldly replies, “Is this a question or the beginning of a speech?” (466)Later in the conversation, Polus makes a bold statement about the King of Persia, stating that despite his vicious ways, he must be a quite content man. Previously, Socrates had argued that all evil people are unhappy, so Polus takes the chance to mock Socrates’ logic. Socrates is not shaken by Polus’ use of language, and tells him “while I thought you admirably well-trained in oratory you seemed to me to have neglected the art of reasoning”. “In your opinion”, he states, “you have now proved that I was wrong . . . How can this be, my good sir, seeing that I don’t admit the force of anything that you have said?” (471)The argument between Polus and Socrates goes on for quite some time, with Polus trying to fight the method of Socrates. Slowly, Polus’ use of oratory decreases, and Socrates finds a foothold in his argument, that it is better to suffer wrong than to do wrong. Step by step, the dialogue continues, until several points regarding misery and happiness are made. Through one of his own speeches, Socrates connects these points and convinces Polus that oratory is unlikely “to be of much use to a man who is not going to do wrong.” (481) The k...
