Editing Prodicus (section)

==Life==
Prodicus was a native of [[Ioulis]] on the island of [[Ceos]], the birthplace of [[Simonides of Ceos|Simonides]],<ref>Plato, ''Protagoras'', 316d; Suda, ''Prodicus''</ref> whom he is described as having imitated.<ref>Plato, ''Protagoras'', 339c, 340e, 341b</ref>  Prodicus came frequently to [[Athens]] for the purpose of transacting business on behalf of his native city, and attracted admiration as an orator,<ref>Plato, ''Hippias Major'' 282, comp. Philostratus ''Vit. Soph.'' i. 12</ref> although his voice was deep and apt to fall.<ref>Plato, ''Protag.'' 316a; Philostratus, ''Vit. Soph.'' i. 12</ref> [[Plutarch]] describes him as slender and weak;<ref>Plutarch, ''an seni ger. sit Resp.'' c. 15</ref> and [[Plato]] also alludes to his weakness, and a degree of effeminacy which thus resulted.<ref>Plato, ''Protag.'' 315d</ref> [[Philostratus]] accuses him of luxury and avarice,<ref>Philost. ''Vit. Soph.'' i. 12</ref> but no earlier source mentions this.

In the ''[[Protagoras (dialogue)|Protagoras]]'' of Plato, (dramatic date c. 430 BC), Prodicus is mentioned as having previously arrived in [[Athens]]. He appears in a play of [[Eupolis]], and in ''[[The Clouds]]'' (423 BC) and ''[[The Birds (play)|The Birds]]'' (414 BC) of [[Aristophanes]].<ref name="Aristophanes, 1. 360">Aristophanes, 1. 360</ref> He came frequently to Athens on public business.<ref>Plato, ''Hipp. Maj.'' 282.</ref> His pupils included the orators [[Theramenes]]<ref>Aeschines in Athenenaeus, v. 220b.; Scholium ad Aristophanes, ''Nub.'' 360</ref> and [[Isocrates]],<ref>Dionys. Hal. ''Isocr.'' 1; Photius, cod. 260</ref> and in the year of the death of [[Socrates]] (399 BC), Prodicus was still living.<ref>Plato, ''Apology'', 19. c.</ref> According to the statement of Philostratus, on which little reliance can be placed, he delivered his lecture on virtue and vice in [[Thebes, Greece|Thebes]] and [[Sparta]] also. The ''[[Apology (Plato)|Apology]]'' of Plato unites him with [[Gorgias]] and [[Hippias]] as among those who were considered competent to instruct the youth in any city. [[Lucian]] mentions him among those who held lectures at [[Olympia, Greece|Olympia]].<ref>Lucian, ''Vit. Herod'', c. 3</ref>

In the dialogues of Plato he is mentioned or introduced with a certain degree of esteem, compared with the other sophists.<ref>Plato, ''Hipp. Maj.'' 282, ''Theaet.'' 151b, ''Phaedo'', 60, ''Protag.'' 341a, ''Charmid.'' 163d, ''Cratyl.'' 384b., ''Symp.'' 177, ''Euthyd.'' 305</ref> In ''[[Meno]]'', Socrates refers to him as his teacher.<ref>Plato, ''Meno'', 96d</ref> [[Aristophanes]], in ''The Clouds'',<ref name="Aristophanes, 1. 360"/> deals more indulgently with him than with Socrates; and [[Xenophon]]'s Socrates, for the purpose of combating the voluptuousness of [[Aristippus]], borrows from the book of "the wise Prodicus" the story of the choice of [[Hercules]].<ref>Xenophon, ''Memor.'' ii. 1. § 21</ref> Like [[Protagoras]] and others, Prodicus delivered lectures in return for payment<ref>Xenophon, ''Mem.'' ii. 1. § 21, comp. Philostratus; Diogenes Laertius, ix. 50; Plato, ''Prot.'' 314b</ref> of from half a [[Ancient drachma|drachma]] to 50 drachmae, probably according to whether the hearers limited themselves to a single lecture or a more complete course.<ref>Pseudo-Plato, ''Axioch.'' 6; Plato, ''Cratyl.'' 384b.; Aristotle, ''Rhet.'' iii. 14. § 9; Suda, ''Prodicus''</ref> Prodicus is said to have amassed a great amount of money.<ref>Plato, ''Hipp. Maj.'' 282d; Xenophon, ''Symp.'' iv. 62, i. 5</ref> The assertion that he hunted after rich young men is only found in Philostratus.