“To the mob! They will always justify you,” Alcibiades interrupted.
“One does not say ‘mob’ if one is a democrat, Alcibiades. And one does not quote Aeschylus when Euripides is present. When Phidias sits here one would rather speak of his Parthenon and his Athene, whose robe even now glitters in the sinking sun. Courtesy is the salt of social life.”
Thus Pericles sought to direct the conversation into a new channel, but the Sophist thwarted him.
“If Phidias’ statue of Athene must borrow its gold from the sun, that may prove that the gold granted by the State did not suffice, and that therefore there is a deficiency. Is it not so, Socrates?”
The master silenced with his outstretched hand the murmur of disapproval which arose, and said:
“It must first be proved that Phidias’ statue must borrow gold from the sun, but since that is unproved, it is absurd to talk of a deficit. Moreover, gold cannot be borrowed from the sun. Therefore what Protagoras says is mere babble, and deserves no answer. On the other hand, will Phidias answer this question? ‘When you have made Athene up there on the Parthenon, have you made Athene?’”
“I have made her image,” answered Phidias.
“Right! You have made her image. But after what pattern?”
“After the pattern in my mind.”
“Not after an external one, then? Have you seen the goddess with your eyes?”