Let us hold our discussion together in our own persons, making

Hear me, O children of wisdom, for there are words spoken by the ancients that resonate through time, offering us guidance and understanding. The words of Protagoras, a philosopher whose mind sought to understand the very nature of truth and humanity, "Let us hold our discussion together in our own persons, making trial of the truth and of ourselves," echo like a call to the brave and the wise. These words urge us not only to seek truth but to engage with it directly, to hold it in our own lives, and to test it within ourselves, for it is in this deep, personal exploration that true wisdom is born.

To speak of truth is to speak of that which is constant, that which transcends opinion and the transient nature of the world around us. Protagoras, in his statement, invites us not merely to discuss truth as an abstract concept, but to confront it within the very fabric of our being. It is not enough to speak of truth in grand terms or from a distance — we must embody it, test it, wrestle with it in the crucible of our own experience. Truth is not a thing that can be merely observed; it must be lived, it must be experienced, and it must be examined within the very depths of our hearts and minds.

Consider the ancient philosophers of Greece, who gathered in the agora to engage in discourse, not merely to speak for the sake of argument, but to seek wisdom together. Their discussions were not abstract theories cast into the air like fleeting winds. They tested their beliefs, challenged one another, and made trial of their convictions. Socrates, for instance, often sought to uncover the truth not through simple proclamation, but through dialogue, where the essence of the question would be tested in the crucible of reason and understanding. He did not merely ask others to believe, but to think deeply, to examine the truth through their own experiences.

This process of self-examination and dialogue is what Protagoras calls for: a shared journey in which truth is not an external thing to be grasped from afar but a living force that can only be understood through active participation. It is only by engaging directly with the world, with others, and with our own selves, that we come to know what is true. This is a lesson we can take from the lives of many who sought truth not just by reading or hearing, but by living and testing the very ideas they held dear.

Consider the example of Alexander the Great, whose world was not one of passive observation, but one of constant engagement, challenge, and trial. As he sought to conquer the world, Alexander was not merely testing his military strength but his very understanding of leadership, of governance, and of truth itself. He learned through the trials of battle, the wisdom of different cultures, and the struggles of ruling vast lands. His personal journey was a constant testing of the truths he believed in, not through abstract thought alone but through real, lived experience. In this, Alexander's life serves as a testament to the idea that truth is something that must be experienced and questioned in action, not just in thought.

And so, the lesson is clear, O children of wisdom: truth is not a mere concept to be pondered from afar, but a living, breathing force that we must confront within ourselves. To test the truth, we must live it, question it, and seek it within our own actions and experiences. It is not enough to listen to others speak of truth, for it is in the act of making trial of it in our own lives that we discover its power. We must, like the ancients, embark on the journey together, each of us challenging our own assumptions, testing our beliefs, and growing in understanding through dialogue and experience.

Thus, O seekers of wisdom, take this lesson into your own lives: when you seek truth, do not look for it solely in books, in speeches, or in the opinions of others. Test it within yourself. Engage with it in your own actions, in your decisions, and in your interactions with the world around you. Truth is not something you can merely talk about — it is something you must live, test, and shape in the fires of your own experience. Only then will you come to know it fully, and only then can you pass it on to others in a way that is real, meaningful, and deeply transformative.