J. Adam, A. M. Adam, Commentary on Plato, Protagoras
J. Adam & A. M. Adam, Ed.

8. νῦν διαλεγόμεθα: so B and T: the editors mostly read νῦν δὴ (νυνδὴ) διελεγόμεθα. νῦν does not mean ‘at this present moment’, but simply ‘now’, ‘on the present occasion’, = ἐν τῇ νῦν συνουσίᾳ: translate ‘about the same subject as you and I are now discussing’, i.e. about the subject of our present discussion. A discussion which has never been finished (see on 334A and is to be resumed (cf. 338Eἐπειδὰν ἱκανῶς ἐρωτήσῃ, πάλιν δώσειν λόγον, and 338D ought not to be spoken of as past. We have in fact in νῦν διαλεγόμεθα an indication that the subject of the dialogue is the same throughout: see Introduction pp. xvii ff. νῦν in καὶ δὴ καὶ νῦν (l. 6) is simply ‘in the present case’ and introduces the application of the general statement contained in ἡγοῦμαι—λόγον δοῦναι: cf. Apol. 17D-18A ὥσπερ οὖν ἂν—καὶ δὴ καὶ νῦν.

περὶ ἀρετῆς. According to Diog. Laert. IX. 8. 55, Protagoras wrote a book having the title περὶ ἀρετῶν.

10. Σιμωνίδης. It is a saying of Simonides of Ceos (ca. 556-468 B.C.) that forms the text on which the discussion in the first book of the Republic is based: see Rep. I. 331D ff. Plato seems also to allude to him in two other places, viz. Rep. II. 365C ἐπειδὴ τὸ δοκεῖν, ὡς δηλοῦσί μοι οἱ σοφοί, καὶ τὰν ἀλάθειαν βιᾶται καὶ κύριον εὐδαιμονίας κτλ. and Rep. VI. 489B οὐ γὰρ ἔχει φύσιν— τοὺς σοφοὺς ἐπὶ τὰς πλουσίων θύρας ἰέναι ἀλλ᾽ ὁ τοῦτο κομψευσάμενος ἐψεύσατο (compare Ar. Rhet. II. 16. 1391^a. 8 ff. with Cope's note).

Σκόπαν. The Scopadae were a ruling family at Crannon and Pharsalus in Thessaly. Simonides seems to have frequently been their guest, and wrote poems in their honour: the most famous is that referred to by Cicero, de Or. II. § 352-3.