Two Portraits of Protagoras in Plato: Theaetetus vs. Protagoras

This article will contrast two portrayals of Protagoras: one in the Theaete-tus, where Socrates discusses Protagorean theory and even comes to his defense by imitating the deceased sophist; and another in the Protagoras, where Socrates recounts his encounter with the sophist. I suggest that Plato wants listeners and readers of the dialogues to hear the dissonance between the two portraits and to wonder why Socrates so distorts Protagoras in the Theaetetus. Protagoras in the Protagoras behaves and speaks in ways that are incompatible with the Protagorean position presented in the Theaetetus.