While Socrates and Polemarchus wrap up their conversation, Thrasymachus continues to listen to them speak. Thrasymachus is engulfed with a great urgency to confront Socrates with his own definition of ‘justice’. In his critique of justice he believes it is the advantage of the powerful. Thus, Thrasymachus represents the moral and political views of a cynical sophist. As he defends his claim, he states that the strong are the rulers who establish the laws. He continues by implying that these laws are made only to the advantage of the ruling party. In the conversation that follows, Socrates unmasks the “shameless” Thrasymachus when the narrator states:
Thrasymachus conceded all these points, but not in the easygoing way I have just described.
Thrasymachus conceded all these points, but not in the easygoing way I have just described.