Dialogue

  1 Craty|            originality, this dialogue may be ranked with the best
  2 Craty|              of posterity. Two causes may be assigned for this obscurity:
  3 Craty|       philologer of the last century. May we suppose that Plato, like
  4 Craty|            rest of his philosophy? Or may we be so bold as to deny
  5 Craty|             the consideration of them may form a convenient introduction
  6 Craty|         plastic than wax’ (Rep.), and may be moulded into any form.
  7 Craty|              judge, or spectator, who may recall him to the point’ (
  8 Craty|             of the dialogues of Plato may be more truly viewed:—they
  9 Craty|             the names of slaves, they may be given and altered at
 10 Craty|       imitation, like any other copy, may be imperfectly executed;
 11 Craty|       Hermogenes, Socrates, Cratylus, may be described as the conventional,
 12 Craty|          Words are works of art which may be equally made in different
 13 Craty|              a high-flown vein, which may be compared to the ‘dithyrambics
 14 Craty|               in order that the truth may be permitted to appear:
 15 Craty|         remarks, an erroneous example may illustrate a principle of
 16 Craty|             the natural dislike which may be supposed to exist between
 17 Craty|               Cratylus that imitation may be partial or imperfect,
 18 Craty|              principle in names; they may be changed, as we change
 19 Craty|            the parts of a proposition may be true or false, and the
 20 Craty|            names, and therefore names may be true or false. Would
 21 Craty|      Hermogenes maintain that anybody may give a name to anything,
 22 Craty|            Then if you reject him you may learn of the poets, and
 23 Craty|           truth about philology which may be learnt from Homer. Does
 24 Craty|               For as the lion’s whelp may be called a lion, or the
 25 Craty|            foal, so the son of a king may be called a king. But if
 26 Craty|     legislator intended. And the same may be said of a king and the
 27 Craty|              which they are signified may be disguised, and yet amid
 28 Craty|              of sound the etymologist may recognise the same notion,
 29 Craty|           names no longer agree. This may be illustrated by the case
 30 Craty|              is di on ze panta. There may, at first sight, appear
 31 Craty|             dawn. My idea is, that we may put in and pull out letters
 32 Craty|               for example, Dii philos may be turned into Diphilos),
 33 Craty|         turned into Diphilos), and we may make words into sentences
 34 Craty|               at what he sees. Psuche may be thought to be the reviving,
 35 Craty|              by a slight permutation, may be either = (1) the ‘grave’
 36 Craty|            grave’ of the soul, or (2) may mean ‘that by which the
 37 Craty|               as men say in prayers, ‘May he graciously receive any
 38 Craty|          stream; and this flux of his may accomplish yet greater marvels.
 39 Craty|         ornament; or perhaps the name may have been originally polleidon,
 40 Craty|              things (polla eidos): he may also be the shaker, apo
 41 Craty|             of the earth; or the word may be a euphemism for Hades,
 42 Craty|               below from which no one may return. The reason why his
 43 Craty|             or perhaps the legislator may have been thinking of the
 44 Craty|            dia ten tou athrou genesin may be accepted on the authority
 45 Craty|              when I am at a loss. Aer may be explained, oti airei
 46 Craty|              or stream of things, and may be illustrated by the poetical
 47 Craty|             of omicron in two places, may be identified with echonoe,
 48 Craty|        original word; and yet, if you may put in and pull out, as
 49 Craty|               come after andreia, and may be regarded as o lian desmos
 50 Craty|           been already suggested—they may be of foreign origin; and
 51 Craty|            answer. But mere antiquity may often prevent our recognizing
 52 Craty|             thoos, and probably thoos may be further resolvable. But
 53 Craty|       resolution seems attainable, we may fairly conclude that we
 54 Craty|            yet a name, because people may imitate sheep or goats without
 55 Craty|              And now, I think that we may consider the names about
 56 Craty|              And like the painter, we may apply letters to the expression
 57 Craty|         elements are rightly given. I may remark, as I was saying
 58 Craty|               a moment.’ ‘No, but you may “add little to little,”
 59 Craty|                and also that pictures may give a right or wrong representation
 60 Craty| representation of a man or woman:—why may not names then equally give
 61 Craty|         Cratylus admits that pictures may give a true or false representation,
 62 Craty|              Socrates argues, that he may go up to a man and say ‘
 63 Craty|               picture,’ and again, he may go and say to him ‘this
 64 Craty|              to his sense of hearing;—may he not? ‘Yes.’ Then you
 65 Craty|      comparing nouns to pictures, you may give them all the appropriate
 66 Craty|              that is, the legislator, may be a good or he may be a
 67 Craty|       legislator, may be a good or he may be a bad artist. ‘Yes, Socrates,
 68 Craty|              acknowledge that letters may be wrongly inserted in a
 69 Craty|              the noun or the sentence may retain a meaning. Better
 70 Craty|         Better to admit this, that we may not be punished like the
 71 Craty|                and that Truth herself may not say to us, ‘Too late.’
 72 Craty|              And, errors excepted, we may still affirm that a name
 73 Craty|               mean s and a convention may indicate by the unlike as
 74 Craty|              his conception, and that may have been erroneous. ‘But
 75 Craty|          problems, for example, there may be a flaw at the beginning,
 76 Craty|                and yet the conclusion may follow consistently. And,
 77 Craty|             we must allow that things may be known without names;
 78 Craty|               the nose. This doctrine may be true, Cratylus, but is
 79 Craty|              things yourself.’~...~We may now consider (I) how far
 80 Craty|               full grown and set they may still put forth intellectual
 81 Craty|             in the body, or rather we may say that the nobler use
 82 Craty|             himself.~The lesson which may be gathered from words is
 83 Craty|             of words on such subjects may often be metaphorical, accidental,
 84 Craty|             from other languages, and may have no relation to the
 85 Craty|           principles of philology, we may note also a few curious
 86 Craty|             or quite involuntary, and may be an imitation of the roar
 87 Craty|         apprehends the meaning: or we may imagine that the cry is
 88 Craty|       earliest parts of speech, as we may call them by anticipation,
 89 Craty|               at last complete.~So we may imagine the speech of man
 90 Craty|          animals. Differences of kind may often be thus resolved into
 91 Craty|             the genius of individuals may have contributed to the
 92 Craty|     agglomeration of sounds that they may be replaced in a higher
 93 Craty|             were happy moments, as we may conjecture, in the lives
 94 Craty|          infinite ages. Something too may be allowed to ‘the persistency
 95 Craty|            similar generalizations we may note also dangers to which
 96 Craty|             instincts of animals, and may remark how, when domesticated,
 97 Craty|              to articulate speech. We may note how in the animals
 98 Craty|          accompanied with gesture. We may observe that the child learns
 99 Craty|               existence.~Or again, we may frame a single abstract
100 Craty|          which all existent languages may be supposed to be the perversion.
101 Craty|               throat, mouth, which he may close or open, and adapt
102 Craty|              know more of the one, we may expect to know more of the
103 Craty|               in a composite form. He may divide nouns and verbs into
104 Craty|               to each other. Whatever may be the meaning of a sentence
105 Craty|            different races of men. It may have been slower with some,
106 Craty|              with others. Some tribes may have used shorter, others
107 Craty|           longer words or cries: they may have been more or less inclined
108 Craty|               to decompose them: they may have modified them by the
109 Craty|             every variety of language may have been in process of
110 Craty|             point of view in which he may behold the progress of states
111 Craty|         writers in later times, there may have been many a barbaric
112 Craty|          figure of speech. One person may have introduced a new custom
113 Craty|           pronunciation of a word; he may have been imitated by others,
114 Craty|           introduced in a single word may have become the type on
115 Craty|             of words were framed, and may have quickly ran through
116 Craty|            present: the whole draught may be conscious, but not the
117 Craty|             up: So the whole sentence may be conscious, but the several
118 Craty|             the use of language which may be observed from without,
119 Craty|            them? Now in this sense we may truly say that we are not
120 Craty|               further objection which may be urged equally against
121 Craty|              or illusions of language may be reckoned many of the
122 Craty|             have least to unlearn. It may be said that the explanations
123 Craty|              in various degrees,—they may only borrow a few words
124 Craty|      comparatively unaltered, or they may meet in a struggle for existence
125 Craty|             are many ways in which we may approach this study. The
126 Craty|         spelling or pronunciation. We may compare with our own language
127 Craty|            child learning to speak we may note the inherent strength
128 Craty|               forcing its way out. We may witness the delight in imitation
129 Craty|             pass into one another. We may learn something also from
130 Craty|            and divisions of sound; we may be truly said to know what
131 Craty|               of any foreign language may be made also a study of
132 Craty|             elements of syntax, which may be examined as well in the
133 Craty|               well-selected questions may lead the student at once
134 Craty|             we should approach it, we may now proceed to consider
135 Craty|             thoughts and feelings. We may still remark how much greater
136 Craty|    possibility of determining. But we may reasonably conjecture that
137 Craty|             are always uniform: there may be often a choice between
138 Craty|               of cases in one of them may intrude upon another. Similarly
139 Craty|               of both. The same nouns may be partly declinable and
140 Craty|            and in some of their cases may have fallen out of use.
141 Craty|             verbs in the same meaning may sometimes take one case,
142 Craty|               another. The participle may also have the character
143 Craty|             mind of primitive man. We may speak of a latent instinct,
144 Craty|         anything to our knowledge. We may try to grasp the infinity
145 Craty|              is concealed from us; we may apprehend partially the
146 Craty|           having this imitative power may be a lesser element of beauty
147 Craty|             philosophy, however great may be the light which language
148 Craty|           parallel to one another and may be said to derive their
149 Craty|           meaning of a deep sound. We may observe also (as we see
150 Craty|    co-operation of the whole body and may be often assisted or half
151 Craty|          share in creating it; and it may be accompanied by a movement
152 Craty|         separable from the preceding, may be considered the differentiation
153 Craty|              figurative use of a word may easily pass into a new sense:
154 Craty|              caught up by association may become more important than
155 Craty|          exact and uniform nature. We may now speak briefly of the
156 Craty|              faults of language. They may be compared to the faults
157 Craty|              language is possible and may be defended.~The imperfection
158 Craty|              ways in which a language may attain permanence or fixity.
159 Craty|       permanence or fixity. First, it may have been embodied in poems
160 Craty|               or hymns or laws, which may be repeated for hundreds,
161 Craty|               preserved; secondly, it may be written down and in a
162 Craty|            which is familiarly spoken may have grown up wholly or
163 Craty|               a whole country. But it may have taken a long time to
164 Craty|               and another long period may have elapsed before it came
165 Craty|            beginning to disappear: it may also be remarked that whenever
166 Craty|            prepositions, conjunctions may or rather must recur in
167 Craty|             furnished by proverbs. We may trace in poetry how the
168 Craty|            the hearer or reader, they may be presupposed; there is
169 Craty|      universally known. A word or two may be sufficient to give an
170 Craty|        countries with one another. It may be said to have thrown a
171 Craty|             branches of knowledge, it may be approaching a point at
172 Craty|              towards them. Lastly, we may remember that all knowledge
173 Craty|              for its own sake; and we may also hope that a deeper
174 Craty|         SOCRATES: I dare say that you may be right, Hermogenes: let
175 Craty|       SOCRATES: Then, if propositions may be true and false, names
176 Craty|              be true and false, names may be true and false?~HERMOGENES:
177 Craty|              Very true.~SOCRATES: And may not a similar description
178 Craty|             the material, whatever it may be, which he employs; for
179 Craty|              every smith, although he may be making the same instrument
180 Craty|            the same, but the material may vary, and still the instrument
181 Craty|              and still the instrument may be equally good of whatever
182 Craty|        shuttle, whatever sort of wood may be used? the carpenter who
183 Craty|             poet means by correctness may be more readily apprehended
184 Craty|               women.~HERMOGENES: That may be inferred.~SOCRATES: And
185 Craty|           holds it. But, perhaps, you may think that I am talking
186 Craty|           natural birth. And the same may be said of trees and other
187 Craty|               A very simple matter. I may illustrate my meaning by
188 Craty|              are right.~SOCRATES: And may not the same be said of
189 Craty|               name. Yet the syllables may be disguised until they
190 Craty|               ignorant person, and he may not recognize them, although
191 Craty|               as we were saying, they may have no business; or they
192 Craty|              named, and perhaps there may have been some more than
193 Craty|        anathron a opopen.~HERMOGENES: May I ask you to examine another
194 Craty|              I do.~SOCRATES: Then you may well call that power phuseche
195 Craty|             okei, kai ekei), and this may be refined away into psuche.~
196 Craty|       HERMOGENES: Yes.~SOCRATES: That may be variously interpreted;
197 Craty|               sema) of the soul which may be thought to be buried
198 Craty|             themselves, whatever they may be, are true. And this is
199 Craty|           very proper.~SOCRATES: What may we suppose him to have meant
200 Craty|               for ousia, and this you may note to have been the idea
201 Craty|              diattomenon, ethoumenon) may be likened to a spring,
202 Craty|         perhaps, not so; but the name may have been originally written
203 Craty|                possibly also the name may have been given when the
204 Craty|          thinking of the heavens, and may be only a disguise of the
205 Craty|             And therefore the Goddess may be truly called Pherepaphe (
206 Craty|         physician who orders them, he may be rightly called Apolouon (
207 Craty|              is the same as truth, he may be most fitly called Aplos,
208 Craty|            misses; or again, the name may refer to his musical attributes,
209 Craty|             our requests; or her name may be Letho, as she is often
210 Craty|             gave the Goddess her name may have had any or all of these
211 Craty|            born of the foam (aphros), may be fairly accepted on the
212 Craty|          modern interpreters of Homer may, I think, assist in explaining
213 Craty|             however, the name Theonoe may mean ‘she who knows divine
214 Craty|               is Ares?~SOCRATES: Ares may be called, if you will,
215 Craty|           language and speech; and we may imagine him dictating to
216 Craty|             of tales or speeches, you may rightly call him Eirhemes.’
217 Craty|               new (enon neon aei) she may very properly have the name
218 Craty|             tongue, and the Phrygians may be observed to have the
219 Craty|           something to say about them may easily be found. And thus
220 Craty|                Aer (air), Hermogenes, may be explained as the element
221 Craty|          aetai); he who uses the term may mean, so to speak, air-flux (
222 Craty|              because this moving wind may be expressed by either term
223 Craty|           interpret as aeitheer; this may be correctly said, because
224 Craty|           form of gaia, for the earth may be truly called ‘mother’ (
225 Craty|             Phronesis (wisdom), which may signify phoras kai rhou
226 Craty|               Sunesis (understanding) may be regarded in like manner
227 Craty|          signifies the thing, and you may clearly understand that
228 Craty|             Very true.~SOCRATES: That may be identified with echonoe,
229 Craty|           sorts of ways: and time too may have had a share in the
230 Craty|             easily made, and any name may be adapted to any object.~
231 Craty|            The meaning of kakos ienai may be further illustrated by
232 Craty|          aeireite (ever-flowing), and may perhaps have had another
233 Craty|           expedient) I think that you may discover for yourself by
234 Craty|            entirely opposite sense; I may instance the word deon,
235 Craty|               same train of thought I may remark that the word deon (
236 Craty|      advantage; and the original form may be supposed to have been
237 Craty|              too labours,’ as any one may see; chara (joy) is the
238 Craty|               through the soul, which may be likened to a breath (
239 Craty|                is named, as every one may see, from the soul moving (
240 Craty|            moving (ion), and the same may be said of not being, which
241 Craty|            and something of this kind may be true of them; but also
242 Craty|               original forms of words may have been lost in the lapse
243 Craty|              come and help me, that I may not fall into some absurdity
244 Craty|             as of anything else which may be said to have an essence?~
245 Craty|               you were asking; and we may see whether the namer has
246 Craty|             any classes to which they may be all referred (cf. Phaedrus);
247 Craty|               and so find expression, may appear ridiculous, Hermogenes,
248 Craty|             perhaps that other notion may be even better still, of
249 Craty|              older than we are; or we may say that antiquity has cast
250 Craty|             anything better which you may have.~HERMOGENES: Fear not;
251 Craty|               the truth of names, you may count me in the number of
252 Craty|       Euthyphro, or whether some Muse may have long been an inhabitant
253 Craty|           speaking falsely? For there may be a doubt whether you can
254 Craty|              who think that falsehood may be spoken but not said?~
255 Craty|               SOCRATES: I believe you may be right, but I do not rightly
256 Craty|               at the matter thus: you may attribute the likeness of
257 Craty|          SOCRATES: And conversely you may attribute the likeness of
258 Craty|              as wrong.~CRATYLUS: That may be true, Socrates, in the
259 Craty|            the case of pictures; they may be wrongly assigned; but
260 Craty|               what is the difference? May I not go to a man and say
261 Craty|              Certainly.~SOCRATES: And may I not go to him again, and
262 Craty|             picture, is an imitation. May I not say to him— ‘This
263 Craty|               This is your name’? and may I not then bring to his
264 Craty|              is a woman,’ as the case may be? Is not all that quite
265 Craty|           right assignment of them we may call truth, and the wrong
266 Craty|            assignment of names, there may also be a wrong or inappropriate
267 Craty|              further, primitive nouns may be compared to pictures,
268 Craty|         pictures, and in pictures you may either give all the appropriate
269 Craty|           colours and figures, or you may not give them all—some may
270 Craty|            may not give them all—some may be wanting; or there may
271 Craty|              may be wanting; or there may be too many or too much
272 Craty|              many or too much of them—may there not?~CRATYLUS: Very
273 Craty|              Then the artist of names may be sometimes good, or he
274 Craty|              be sometimes good, or he may be bad?~CRATYLUS: Yes.~SOCRATES:
275 Craty|          other artists the legislator may be good or he may be bad;
276 Craty|          legislator may be good or he may be bad; it must surely be
277 Craty|             believe that what you say may be true about numbers, which
278 Craty|        courage to admit that one name may be correctly and another
279 Craty|            acknowledge that the thing may be named, and described,
280 Craty|               given, the greater part may be supposed to be made up
281 Craty|              indication of my meaning may proceed from unlike as well
282 Craty|               by likeness, for custom may indicate by the unlike as
283 Craty|             he did begin in error, he may have forced the remainder
284 Craty|            mneme (memory), as any one may see, expresses rest in the
285 Craty|     sumpheresthai); and much the same may be said of amathia and akolasia,
286 Craty|             and akolasia, for amathia may be explained as e ama theo
287 Craty|            then I suppose that things may be known without names?~
288 Craty|             beyond you and me. But we may admit so much, that the
289 Craty|             running at the nose. This may be true, Cratylus, but is