Protagoras and Meno
Page 21
76. Daedalus' statues: Daedalus was a legendary sculptor, architect, inventor and craftsman of magical ability. His sculptures were said to have been so life-like that they actually came alive.
77. by figuring out what makes them true: Aitías logísmo(i); literally (?) ‘by a figuring out of a cause’. ‘A cause’ (aitía) may mean here an explanation of why they are true – i.e. a justification, or perhaps ‘what causes them to be the case’. See Republic 473c – 484a for Plato's later and more detailed discussion of this difference between ‘opinions’ and philosophically grounded knowledge. There is also an example of unstable ethical ‘opinions’ in his Euthyphro. There Euthyphro complains that his ideas (about religion) won't ‘stay put’, and compares Socrates to Daedalus, for making them move about (11b – d).
78. the next thing we asked: At this point Socrates begins a recapitulation of the discussion from 89c – 96c.
79. fortune-tellers and soothsayers: Plato probably sees ‘fortune-tellers and soothsayers’ as charlatans (see Euthyphro 1 – 5 and Republic 364c), and this remark may be meant as a veiled insult. The point is that the ethical and political views of these ordinary ‘good men’ are unphilosophical and therefore inadequate. See Republic 473c – 484a.
80. ‘That man's inzpired’: Most editors think that Plato here imitated the Spartan dialect (writing not theíos, which we have in the manuscripts, but seíos).
81. We'll talk with him again: Perhaps this can be taken by the reader to refer, by dramatic irony, to Socrates' trial.
82. unless, that is, there were a man: I.e. such a man would disprove the theory that being good cannot be taught and suggest that it is a kind of knowledge after all. Plato may be referring, cryptically, to Socrates himself (a man who, by his ‘talk-it-through’ method, is genuinely able to make people good); or to himself, future author of the Republic and would-be educator of philosopher-statesmen.
83. He alone… in the world below: Odyssey 10.495.
84. you may well be doing Athens a favour: Plato (not Socrates) means, if Meno (or anyone) could have ‘calmed Anytus down’, then he might not have prosecuted Socrates, which would have been the greatest possible favour to Athens.