Virtue, therefore, being knowledge or a mode of knowledge, cannot come by nature, but must be teachable. [Side-note: Virtue, as being knowledge, must be teachable. Yet there are opposing reasons, showing that it cannot be teachable. No teachers of it can be found.] Yet again there are other contrary reasons (he proceeds) which prove that it cannot be teachable. For if it were so, there would be distinct and assignable teachers and learners of it, and the times and places could be pointed out where it is taught and learnt. We see that this is the case with all arts and professions. But in regard to virtue, there are neither recognised teachers, nor learners, nor years of learning. The Sophists pretend to be teachers of it, but are not:[21] the leading and esteemed citizens of the community do not pretend to be teachers of it, and are indeed incompetent to teach it even to their own sons--as the character of those sons sufficiently proves.[22] [Footnote 21: Plato, Menon, p. 92.] [Footnote 22: Plato, Menon, p. 97. Isokrates (adv. Sophistas, s. 25, p. 401) expressly declares that he does not believe [Greek: ô(/s e)sti dikaiosu/nê didakto/n]. There is no [Greek: te/chnê] which can teach it, if a man be [Greek: kakô=s pephukô/s]. But if a man be well-disposed, then education in [Greek: lo/goi politikoi/] will serve [Greek: sumparakeleu/sasthai/ ge kai\ sunaskê=sai]. For a man to announce himself as a teacher of justice or virtue, was an unpopular and invidious pretension. Isokrates is anxious to guard himself against such unpopularity.] [Side-note: Conversation of Sokrates with Anytus, who detests the Sophists, and affirms that any one of the leading politicians can teach virtue.] Here, a new speaker is introduced into the dialogue--Anytus, one of the accusers of Sokrates before the Dikastery. The conversation is carried on for some time between Sokrates and him. Anytus denies altogether that the Sophists are teachers of virtue, and even denounces them with bitter contempt and wrath. But he maintains that the leading and esteemed citizens of the state do really teach it. Anytus however presently breaks off in a tone of displeasure and menace towards Sokrates himself.[23] The conversation is then renewed with Menon, and it is shown that the leading politicians cannot be considered as teachers of virtue, any more than the Sophists. There exist no teachers of it; and therefore we must conclude that it is not teachable. [Footnote 23: Plato, Menon, p. 94 E.] [Side-note: Confused state of the discussion. No way of acquiring virtue is shown.]