Surely, I said, knowledge is the food of the soul; and we must take care,
my friend, that the Sophist does not deceive us when he praises what he sells,
like the dealers wholesale or retail who sell the food of the body; for they praise
indiscriminately all their goods, without knowing wha are really beneficial or hurtful
neither do their customerknow, with the exception of any trainer or physician who
may happen to buy of them.
In like manner those who carry about the wares of knowledge, and make the round
of the cities, and sell or retail hem to any customer who is in want of them, praise
them all like; though I should not wonder, O my friend, if many of them were really
ignorant of their effect upon the soul; and their customers equally ignorant, unless
he who buys of them happens to be a physician of the soul.
If, therefore, you have understanding of what is good and evil you may safely buy
knowledge of Protagoras or anyone; but if not, then, O my friend, pause, and do not
hazard your dearest interests at a game of chance. For there is far greater perilin
buying knowledge than in buying meat and drink...
-Plato, Protagoras
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