Polus Enters the Debate

Polus, a young orator, interrupts to challenge Socrates, accusing him of rudeness. He questions Socrates’ view on oratory, to which Socrates responds that he sees it as mere flattery rather than an art.

Socrates likens oratory to baking, suggesting that just as bakers provide immediate gratification through sweets, orators flatter their listeners without aiming for long-term good. True skills, Socrates argues, should promote lasting benefits—health for the body and justice for the soul—whereas oratory only seeks to please in the short term.