Polus was born in c. 440 BC and died in c. 380 BC.

Where was Polus from?

Polus was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.

What philosophical movements is Polus associated with?

Polus was associated with Sophism and Ancient Greek Philosophy.

How many quotes are attributed to Polus?

There are 15 attributed quotations from Polus in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.

Polus c. 440 BC – c. 380 BC

Polus (c. 440 BC – c. 380 BC) was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era, associated with Sophism and Ancient Greek Philosophy.

Polus of Acragas was a Greek sophist and rhetorician of the late fifth century BC, a pupil of the great rhetorician Gorgias and the author of a now-lost handbook of rhetoric. He is best known to us through Plato's Gorgias, in which he appears as one of Socrates's principal interlocutors, defending the position that the able orator is happy because he can do as he pleases in his city, and being driven by Socrates to admit, against his own intentions, that to do injustice is worse than to suffer it. Whatever his historical writings may have been, the Polus of Plato has shaped two millennia of philosophical reflection on rhetoric, justice, and political ambition.

Key facts

Nationality: Greek
Era: Ancient
Movements: Sophism, Ancient Greek Philosophy

Selected quotes

Attributed to Polus:

“The orator can do as he pleases in his city; that is the meaning of his art.”
Attributed to Polus:

“Rhetoric is the science of persuasion, and persuasion is the secret of every regime.”
Attributed to Polus:

“It seems to me that to do injustice is bad, and to suffer it worse.”
Attributed to Polus:

“He who can master the assembly has mastered the city.”
Attributed to Polus:

“Power is a gift the gods grant only to those who know how to speak.”

Read all Polus quotes

Frequently asked about Polus

When did Polus live?: Polus was born in c. 440 BC and died in c. 380 BC.
Where was Polus from?: Polus was a Greek philosopher of the Ancient era.
What philosophical movements is Polus associated with?: Polus was associated with Sophism and Ancient Greek Philosophy.
What was Polus known for?: Polus of Acragas was a Greek sophist and rhetorician of the late fifth century BC, a pupil of the great rhetorician Gorgias and the author of a now-lost handbook of rhetoric.
How many quotes are attributed to Polus?: There are 15 attributed quotations from Polus in the 1001Philosophers collection, organized by topic.