Remarkable doctrine of Alkibiadês II.--that knowledge is not always Good. The knowledge of Good itself is indispensable: without that, the knowledge of other things is more hurtful than beneficial _ib._ Knowledge of Good--appears postulated and divined, in many of the Platonic dialogues, under different titles 31 The Good--the Profitable--what is it?--How are we to know it? Plato leaves this undetermined _ib._ CHAPTER XIII. HIPPIAS MAJOR--HIPPIAS MINOR. Hippias Major--situation supposed--character of the dialogue. Sarcasm and mockery against Hippias 33 Real debate between the historical Sokrates and Hippias in the Xenophontic Memorabilia--subject of that debate 34 Opening of the Hippias Major**--Hippias describes the successful circuit which he had made through Greece, and the renown as well as the gain acquired by his lectures 35 Hippias had met with no success at Sparta. Why the Spartans did not admit his instructions--their law forbids _ib._ Question, What is law? The law-makers always aim at the Profitable, but sometimes fail to attain it. When they fail, they fail to attain law. The lawful is the Profitable: the Unprofitable is also unlawful 36 Comparison of the argument of the Platonic Sokrates with that of the Xenophontic Sokrates 37 The Just or Good is the beneficial or profitable. This is the only explanation which Plato ever gives and to this he does not always adhere 38 Lectures of Hippias at Sparta not upon geometry, or astronomy, &c., but upon the question--What pursuits are beautiful, fine, and honourable for youth? 39 Question put by Sokrates, in the name of a friend in the background, who has just been puzzling him with it--What is the Beautiful? _ib._ Hippias thinks the question easy to answer 40 Justice, Wisdom, Beauty must each be something. What is Beauty, or the Beautiful? _ib._ Hippias does not understand the question. He answers by indicating one particularly beautiful object _ib._ Cross-questioning by Sokrates--Other things also are beautiful; but each thing is beautiful only by comparison, or under some particular circumstances--it is sometimes beautiful, sometimes not beautiful 41 Second answer of Hippias--_ Gold_, is that by the presence of which all things become beautiful--scrutiny applied to the answer. Complaint by Hippias about vulgar analogies _ib._ Third answer of Hippias--questions upon it--proof given that it fails of universal application 42 Farther answers, suggested by Sokrates himself--1. The Suitable or Becoming--objections thereunto--it is rejected 43 2. The useful or profitable--objections--it will not hold 44 3. The Beautiful is a variety of the Pleasurable--that which is received through the eye and the ear 45 Objections to this last--What property is there common to both sight and hearing, which confers upon the pleasures of these two senses the exclusive privilege of being beautiful? _ib._