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第33章

cratylus-第33章

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these various appellations; deon (obligatory); ophelimon (advantageous);

lusiteloun (profitable); kerdaleon (gainful); agathon (good); sumpheron

(expedient); euporon (plenteous); the same conception is implied of the

ordering or all…pervading principle which is praised; and the restraining

and binding principle which is censured。  And this is further illustrated

by the word zemiodes (hurtful); which if the zeta is only changed into

delta as in the ancient language; becomes demiodes; and this name; as you

will perceive; is given to that which binds motion (dounti ion)。



HERMOGENES:  What do you say of edone (pleasure); lupe (pain); epithumia

(desire); and the like; Socrates?



SOCRATES:  I do not think; Hermogenes; that there is any great difficulty

about themedone is e (eta) onesis; the action which tends to advantage;

and the original form may be supposed to have been eone; but this has been

altered by the insertion of the delta。  Lupe appears to be derived from the

relaxation (luein) which the body feels when in sorrow; ania (trouble) is

the hindrance of motion (alpha and ienai); algedon (distress); if I am not

mistaken; is a foreign word; which is derived from aleinos (grievous);

odune (grief) is called from the putting on (endusis) sorrow; in achthedon

(vexation) 'the word too labours;' as any one may see; chara (joy) is the

very expression of the fluency and diffusion of the soul (cheo); terpsis

(delight) is so called from the pleasure creeping (erpon) through the soul;

which may be likened to a breath (pnoe) and is properly erpnoun; but has

been altered by time into terpnon; eupherosune (cheerfulness) and epithumia

explain themselves; the former; which ought to be eupherosune and has been

changed euphrosune; is named; as every one may see; from the soul moving

(pheresthai) in harmony with nature; epithumia is really e epi ton thumon

iousa dunamis; the power which enters into the soul; thumos (passion) is

called from the rushing (thuseos) and boiling of the soul; imeros (desire)

denotes the stream (rous) which most draws the soul dia ten esin tes roes

because flowing with desire (iemenos); and expresses a longing after things

and violent attraction of the soul to them; and is termed imeros from

possessing this power; pothos (longing) is expressive of the desire of that

which is not present but absent; and in another place (pou); this is the

reason why the name pothos is applied to things absent; as imeros is to

things present; eros (love) is so called because flowing in (esron) from

without; the stream is not inherent; but is an influence introduced through

the eyes; and from flowing in was called esros (influx) in the old time

when they used omicron for omega; and is called eros; now that omega is

substituted for omicron。  But why do you not give me another word?



HERMOGENES:  What do you think of doxa (opinion); and that class of words?



SOCRATES:  Doxa is either derived from dioxis (pursuit); and expresses the

march of the soul in the pursuit of knowledge; or from the shooting of a

bow (toxon); the latter is more likely; and is confirmed by oiesis

(thinking); which is only oisis (moving); and implies the movement of the

soul to the essential nature of each thingjust as boule (counsel) has to

do with shooting (bole); and boulesthai (to wish) combines the notion of

aiming and deliberatingall these words seem to follow doxa; and all

involve the idea of shooting; just as aboulia; absence of counsel; on the

other hand; is a mishap; or missing; or mistaking of the mark; or aim; or

proposal; or object。



HERMOGENES:  You are quickening your pace now; Socrates。



SOCRATES:  Why yes; the end I now dedicate to God; not; however; until I

have explained anagke (necessity); which ought to come next; and ekousion

(the voluntary)。  Ekousion is certainly the yielding (eikon) and

unresistingthe notion implied is yielding and not opposing; yielding; as

I was just now saying; to that motion which is in accordance with our will;

but the necessary and resistant being contrary to our will; implies error

and ignorance; the idea is taken from walking through a ravine which is

impassable; and rugged; and overgrown; and impedes motionand this is the

derivation of the word anagkaion (necessary) an agke ion; going through a

ravine。  But while my strength lasts let us persevere; and I hope that you

will persevere with your questions。



HERMOGENES:  Well; then; let me ask about the greatest and noblest; such as

aletheia (truth) and pseudos (falsehood) and on (being); not forgetting to

enquire why the word onoma (name); which is the theme of our discussion;

has this name of onoma。



SOCRATES:  You know the word maiesthai (to seek)?



HERMOGENES:  Yes;meaning the same as zetein (to enquire)。



SOCRATES:  The word onoma seems to be a compressed sentence; signifying on

ou zetema (being for which there is a search); as is still more obvious in

onomaston (notable); which states in so many words that real existence is

that for which there is a seeking (on ou masma); aletheia is also an

agglomeration of theia ale (divine wandering); implying the divine motion

of existence; pseudos (falsehood) is the opposite of motion; here is

another ill name given by the legislator to stagnation and forced inaction;

which he compares to sleep (eudein); but the original meaning of the word

is disguised by the addition of psi; on and ousia are ion with an iota

broken off; this agrees with the true principle; for being (on) is also

moving (ion); and the same may be said of not being; which is likewise

called not going (oukion or ouki on = ouk ion)。



HERMOGENES:  You have hammered away at them manfully; but suppose that some

one were to say to you; what is the word ion; and what are reon and doun?

show me their fitness。



SOCRATES:  You mean to say; how should I answer him?



HERMOGENES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  One way of giving the appearance of an answer has been already

suggested。



HERMOGENES:  What way?



SOCRATES:  To say that names which we do not understand are of foreign

origin; and this is very likely the right answer; and something of this

kind may be true of them; but also the original forms of words may have

been lost in the lapse of ages; names have been so twisted in all manner of

ways; that I should not be surprised if the old language when compared with

that now in use would appear to us to be a barbarous tongue。



HERMOGENES:  Very likely。



SOCRATES:  Yes; very likely。  But still the enquiry demands our earnest

attention and we must not flinch。  For we should remember; that if a person

go on analysing names into words; and enquiring also into the elements out

of which the words are formed; and keeps on always repeating this process;

he who has to answer him must at last give up the enquiry in despair。



HERMOGENES:  Very true。



SOCRATES:  And at what point ought he to lose heart and give up the


enquiry?  Must he not stop when he comes to the names which are the

elements of all other names and sentences; for these cannot be supposed to

be made up of other names?  The word agathon (good); for example; is; as we

were saying; a compound of agastos (admirable) and thoos (swift)。  And

probably thoos is made up of other elements; and these again of others。 

But if we take a word which is incapable of further resolution; then we

shall be right in saying that we have at last reached a primary element;

which need not be resolved any further。



HERMOGENES:  I believe you to be in the right。



SOCRATES:  And suppose the names about which you are now asking should turn

out to be primary elements; must not their truth or law be examined

according to some new method?



HERMOGENES:  Very likely。



SOCRATES:  Quite so; Hermogenes; all that has preceded would lead to this

conclusion。  And if; as I think; the conclusion is true; then I shall again

say to you; come and help me; that I may

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