Gonzalez Lodge, Commentary on Plato: Gorgias

παρασκευαί: contrivances. This word, which is not found in the passage referred to, is used generally instead of ἐπιτηδεύσεις, θεραπεῖαι, as drawing more attention to the end in view (μεχρὶ ἡδονῆς). The prep. shows that the contrivances are not claimed to reach ἡδονή, but must be varied and directed until the object is compassed; hence παρασκευάζουσαι is conative.

αὐτὸ τοῦτο: i.e. the general idea, ἡδονή.

6 f.

τῶν μέν, τῶν δέ: take up αἱ μέν, αἱ δέ. On the part. gen. with τιθέναι, see G. 169, 2; H. 732 a.

πρὸς φιλίου: so 519 e. Cf. Phaedr. 234 e εἰπὲ πρὸς Διὸς φιλίου. This adjuration is designed to remind Callicles of his ostentatious profession of εὔνοια, which he had so quickly forgotten.

μήτε αὐτός: finds its correlative in μήτ᾽ αὖ τὰ παῤ ἐμοῦ, while μηδέ serves only to connect the two sections of the first member.

ὅτι ἂν τύχῃς κτἑ.: implies perverseness in addition to chance. Cf. 495 a, b, and 499 c.