Gorgias

by Plato

"Gorgias" by Plato is a Socratic dialogue written around 380 BC. In this work, Socrates confronts self-proclaimed teachers of rhetoric at a dinner gathering, challenging their claims about the art of persuasion. Through pointed questioning, he explores whether rhetoric is truly a craft or merely flattery, examines its moral implications, and investigates the relationship between persuasive speech and truth. The dialogue reveals tensions between philosophical inquiry and the popular rhetorical education valued in classical Athens.