Dialogues · Character
Gorgias
The renowned rhetorician from Leontini whose art of persuasion promises power over crowds, courts, and cities, and whose answers force Socrates to ask what that power is for.
supporting
Also known as Compare Gorgias, the Gorgias
First appearance: Gorgias
As a supporting figure in Dialogues, Gorgias is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Referenced as Meno's teacher, whose rhetorical style and definitions of virtue are contrasted with Socrates' method.
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Gorgias is the honored guest at Callicles' house, fresh from a public display of his rhetorical skill, and he agrees to answer any question put to him. His confidence rests on long experience and the claim that rhetoric…
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10 connectionsA slice of how Gorgias sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Extended Cast of Dialogues
- Philosophers and Interlocutors
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Story tension across the book.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
In this excerpt, the dramatic climax occurs when Erasistratus’s boastful praise of the Syracusan envoy’s immen…
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Gorgias appears across 5 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
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See Gorgias in Gorgias