μέν: we expect δέ with a request for a specific reply; but the form changes 1. 22 ff.
κἂν σύ . . . ἂν γένοιο: καί and ὥσπερ before εἰ freq. draw to themselves the ἄν of the apod., which is usually repeated after the verb or some other important word of the apod. The first ἄν shows the conditional character of the coming sentence; the last, esp. when several words have intervened, is felt to be needful as a resumption as well as to give emphasis. Cf. Menex. 236 d ὥστε κἂν ὀλίγου, εἴ με κελεύοις ὀρχήσασθαι, χαρισαίμην ἄν so that, if you should bid me dance, I would almost gratify you, Gorg. 447 d, Apol. 31 a. See G. 212, 3; H. 864.
μὴ οὕτως: do not answer so! Cf. 331 c μή μοι, ἦν δ᾽ ἐγώ, Meno 74 d ἀλλὰ μή μοι οὕτως, Ar. Vesp. 1179 μὴ μοί γε μύθους, Dem. IV. 19 μή μοι μυρίους μηδὲ δισμυρίους ξένους. Supply ποίει, λέγε.
αὐτίκα: to begin with, for example. Cf. 359 e, Rep. i. 340 d ἐπεὶ αὐτίκα ἰατρὸν καλεῖς σὺ τὸν ἐξαμαρτάνοντα (mak- ing mistakes) περὶ τοὺς κάμνοντας; Lach. 195 b.
Nothing is known of a painter Zeuxippus. Yet our passage shows that he had attracted attention. But since Zeuxis also was from Heraclea (probably the one in lower Italy) and Plato mentions him, Gorg. 453 c (cf. Xen. Mem i. 4. 3; Oec. 10. 1; Symp. 4. 63), there is much to favor the conjecture that he is here meant. Ζεῦξις was originally only a pet form for Ζεύξιππος, as Herodianus (Etym. M. 85, 50) cites Ἄμφις for Ἀμφιάραος from Aeschylus, and Ἶφις for Ἰφιγένεια (Lycophr. 329). See Fick d. Griech. Personennamen, pp. xxviii. and 32.
