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The fact is that, although I have known that some of the sophistsThe term “sophist” is used loosely throughout the discourse, sometimes as the equivalent of wise man, but more often, as here, of a professional teacher of philosophy and oratory. See General Introd. p. xii, note a . traduce my occupation, saying that it has to do with writing speeches for the courts,See General Introd. p. xx, and note c . very much as one might have the effrontery to call Pheidias, who wrought our statue of Athena,The “gold and ivory” statue of Athena which stood in the Parthenon. a doll-maker, or say that Zeuxis and ParrhasiusZeuxis and Parrhasius sojourned in Athens about 400 B.C. practiced the same art as the sign-painters,Literally, painters of votive tablets set up in temples as thank-offerings for deliverance from sickness or from dangers on the sea. Cf. Tibullus 1.3.27-28: nunc, dea, nunc succurre mihi, nam posse mederi/picta docet templis multa tabella tuis. nevertheless I have never deigned to defend myself against their attempts to belittle me,
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because I considered that their foolish babble had no influence whatever and that I had, myself, made it manifest to all that I had elected to speak and write, not on petty disputes, but on subjects so important and so elevatedThe kind of oratory to which Isocrates devoted himself. See General Introd. p. xxiv. that no one would attempt them except those who had studied with me, and their would-be imitators.