365e
Σωκράτης:
δυνατοὶ μὲν δή, ὡς ἔοικεν, εἰσὶ κατὰ τὸν σὸν λόγον καὶ πολύτροποι: ἦ γάρ;
Ἱππίας:
ναί.
Σωκράτης:
πολύτροποι δ' εἰσὶ καὶ ἀπατεῶνες ὑπὸ ἠλιθιότητος καὶ ἀφροσύνης, ἢ ὑπὸ πανουργίας καὶ φρονήσεώς τινος;
Ἱππίας:
ὑπὸ πανουργίας πάντων μάλιστα καὶ φρονήσεως.
Σωκράτης:
φρόνιμοι μὲν ἄρα εἰσίν, ὡς ἔοικεν.
Ἱππίας:
ναὶ μὰ Δία, λίαν γε.
Σωκράτης:
φρόνιμοι δὲ ὄντες οὐκ ἐπίστανται ὅτι ποιοῦσιν, ἢ ἐπίστανται;
Ἱππίας:
καὶ μάλα σφόδρα ἐπίστανται: διὰ ταῦτα καὶ κακουργοῦσιν.
Σωκράτης:
ἐπιστάμενοι δὲ ταῦτα ἃ ἐπίστανται πότερον ἀμαθεῖς εἰσιν ἢ σοφοί;
Ἱππίας:
σοφοὶ μὲν οὖν αὐτά γε ταῦτα,
365e
Socrates:
They are, then, powerful, according to you, and wily, are they not?
Hippias:
Yes.
Socrates:
But are they wily and deceivers by reason of simplicity and folly, or by reason of shrewdness and a sort of intelligence?
Hippias:
By shrewdness, most assuredly, and intelligence.
Socrates:
They are intelligent, then, as it seems.
Hippias:
Yes, by Zeus, too much so.
Socrates:
And being intelligent, do they know what they are doing, or do they not know?
Hippias:
Yes, they know very well; that is why they do harm.
Socrates:
And knowing these things which they know, are they ignorant, or wise?