J. Adam, A. M. Adam, Commentary on Plato, Protagoras
J. Adam & A. M. Adam, Ed.

17. αἰδῶ τε καὶ δίκην. The editors cite Hesiod (Works and Days, 192) δίκη δ᾽ ἐν χερσὶ καὶ αἰδὼς οὐκ ἔσται (of the γένος σιδήρεον, where man is corrupt). αἰδώς is a part of δέος (Euthyphr. 12C): it keeps men together by making them fear the censure of their fellows (Laws, I. 647A-B); cf. Hom. Il. XV. 561 ff. ὦ φίλοι, ἀνέρες ἔστε, καὶ αἰδῶ θέσθ᾽ ἐνὶ θυμῷ, ἀλλήλους τ᾽ αἰδεῖσθε κατὰ κρατερὰς ὑσμίνας. αἰδομένων δ᾽ ἀνδρῶν πλέονες σόοι ἠὲ πέφανται: φευγόντων δ᾽ οὔτ᾽ ἂρ κλέος ὄρνυται οὔτε τις ἀλκή. δίκη is here the abstract principle ‘law’ like Latin ius: for the original meaning of the word see Verrall on Eur. Med. 411.

18. πόλεων κόσμοι—συναγωγοί. The phraseology no less than the rhythm is highly poetical.

19. τίνα οὖν τρόπον. For οὖν retained in the indirect the editors cite Symp. 219D ὥστε οὔθ᾽ ὅπως οὖν ὀργιζοίμην εἶχον οὔθ᾽ ὅπῃ προσαγαγοίμην αὐτὸν ηὐπόρουν. Cobet's δῶ for δοίη is attractive but unnecessary.

20. πότερον ὡς κτλ. ‘Eleganter omissum ἔφη, ut obliqua oratio statim in rectam transeat’ Heindorf, quoting (inter alia） Xen. Cyrop. I. 4. 28 ἐνταῦθα δὴ τὸν Κῦρον γελάσαι τε ἐκ τῶν ρπόσθεν δακπύων καὶ εἰρεῖν αὐτῷ ἀριόντα θαππεῖν ὅτι ραπέσται αὖθις ὀλίγου χρόνου: ὥστε ὁρᾶν σοι ἐξέσται κἂν βούλῃ ἀσκαρδαμυκτεί. Sauppe quotes an exact parallel in 338Bbelow εἶπον οὖν ἐγὼ ὅτι αἰσχρὸν εἴη βραβευτὴν ἑλέσθαι τῶν λόγων. ειτε γὰρ χείρων ἔσται κτλ.

22. εις ἔχων ἰατρικὴν—ἰδιώταις. This division of labour takes place as soon as men begin to unite in cities: cf. Rep. II. 369Eff.