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search  A sophist (Greek: σοφιστής, Latin: sofista) was a
specific kind of teacher in both Ancient Greece and in the Roman
Empire. Many sophists specialized in using the tools of
philosophy and rhetoric, though other sophists taught subjects
such as music, athletics, and mathematics. In general, they
claimed to teach arete ("excellence" or "virtue," applied to
various subject areas), predominantly to young statesmen and
nobility. There are not many writings from and about the first
sophists. The early sophists' practice of charging money for
education and providing wisdom only to those who could pay,
resulted in the condemnations made by Socrates through Plato in
his Dialogues, as well as by Xenophon in Memorabilia,and
Aristotle. Author of The History and Theory of Rhetoric: An
Introduction James A. Herrick wrote, “In De Oratore, Cicero
blames Plato for separating wisdom and eloquence in the
philosopher’s famous attack on the Sophists in Gorgias.” [1]