STRANGER: And may there not be supposed to be an imitative art of

reasoning? Is it not possible to enchant the hearts of young men by

words poured through their ears, when they are still at a distance from

the truth of facts, by exhibiting to them fictitious arguments, and

making them think that they are true, and that the speaker is the wisest

of men in all things?

THEAETETUS: Yes; why should there not be another such art?

STRANGER: But as time goes on, and their hearers advance in years,

and come into closer contact with realities, and have learnt by sad

experience to see and feel the truth of things, are not the greater

part of them compelled to change many opinions which they formerly

entertained, so that the great appears small to them, and the easy

difficult, and all their dreamy speculations are overturned by the facts

of life?

THEAETETUS: That is my view, as far as I can judge, although, at my age,

I may be one of those who see things at a distance only.

STRANGER: And the wish of all of us, who are your friends, is and always

will be to bring you as near to the truth as we can without the sad

reality. And now I should like you to tell me, whether the Sophist

is not visibly a magician and imitator of true being; or are we still

disposed to think that he may have a true knowledge of the various

matters about which he disputes?