Dialogues · Character
Hippias
A dazzling polymath from Elis who arrives at Athens boasting he can answer any question put to him, and finds Socrates waiting with one he cannot.
supporting
Also known as Hippias the Elean, sweet Hippias, Hippias True, Lesser Hippias
First appearance: Lesser Hippias
As a supporting figure in Dialogues, Hippias is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
A vain and boastful sophist who initially resists Socrates' line of questioning but eventually engages, though he cannot agree with the final conclusion.
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Hippias is the touring celebrity of the sophistic circuit, a man whose memory, craftsmanship, and self-assurance have made him famous across Greece. His confidence is genuine but brittle: he needs an audience, and…
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The fuller portrait of Hippias sits in Reading Lens — open the free preview to keep reading with notes on the page.
See Hippias in Lesser HippiasCharacter Web
13 connectionsA slice of how Hippias sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Extended Cast of Dialogues
- Philosophers and Interlocutors
+8 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative arc
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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Hippias appears across 2 companion beats. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
Spoil-light check-ins for Hippias unlock in the free preview.
See Hippias in Lesser Hippias