Hippias of Elis

Abstract

Hippias of Elis cut an elegant figure as he strolled through the crowds at Olympia, dressed entirely in garments and accessories he had, himself, made. But there is more to Hippias than the man Plato portrays as vain in "Hippias Minor". Hippias was not only the exemplar of self-sufficiency but ranks among the most talented and versatile of the sophists. He lectured on poetry, grammar, history, politics, and archaeology, he was a chronographer, and a prolific writer. In this paper I will discuss Hippias’s work in geometry and the social contract he mentioned, and I will show that these two aspects of his work elevate him to another level. It will be seen that Hippias was more than an extremely rich and successful sophist, but that his work warrants his inclusion amongst the philosophers.