Reading "Gorgias" at "Simple Pleasures"

Tonight, I got a lift to Eva Jo Meyer's show at Simple Pleasures out in the Richmond. For dinner I had a large bowl of the Mexicali soup with a 12 oz. bottle of sparkling Calistoga, all for $4.09! I totally recommend the soup. It was hearty like a stew with lots of rice and tomatoes. While eating, I read Plato's Gorgias. The parts I've read so far have to do with a sophist saying that oratory is an art that produces effects by means of speech. Socrates says that with other arts it's pretty easy to see what effects they produce. For example, doctoring produces health, weaving produces cloth products, but oratory? What does that produce?

Gorgias' answer is that oratory "confers on everyone who possesses it not only freedom for himself but also the power of ruling his fellow citizens." (452d)

I suspect that Socrates isn't happy with that answer, which will get trounced on royally as I read more.

BTW, I wasn't reading all the time. Eva Jo played a lot of interesting and fun songs that I can't wait to get when she comes out with her second CD.