Dialogue

 1  Meno|        like; just as round is a figure, and black and white are
 2  Meno|       Meno take the examples of figure and colour, and try to define
 3  Meno|        Socrates himself defines figure as ‘the accompaniment of
 4  Meno|         is allowed to intrude: ‘Figure is the limit of form.’ Meno
 5  Meno|       dialectical definition of figure is far better.~Now that
 6  Meno|   inconsistent. The magnificent figure under which the nature of
 7  Meno|       deity expressed under the figure of mind, the king of all,
 8  Meno|     Suppose that I carry on the figure of the swarm, and ask of
 9  Meno|       round, for example, is ‘a figure’ and not simply ‘figure,’
10  Meno|         figure’ and not simply ‘figure,’ and I should adopt this
11  Meno|     Meno, he would say, what is figure? And if you answered ‘roundness,’
12  Meno|    would say that roundness is ‘figure’ or ‘a figure;’ and you
13  Meno|     roundness is ‘figure’ or ‘a figure;’ and you would answer ‘
14  Meno|         and you would answer ‘a figure.’~MENO: Certainly.~SOCRATES:
15  Meno|   nature which you designate as figure—which contains straight
16  Meno|      only assert that the round figure is not more a figure than
17  Meno|      round figure is not more a figure than the straight, or the
18  Meno|     then do we give the name of figure? Try and answer. Suppose
19  Meno|      this question either about figure or colour, you were to reply,
20  Meno|       in multis’ which you call figure, and which includes not
21  Meno|         and explain to you what figure is. What do you say to this
22  Meno|         you say to this answer?—Figure is the only thing which
23  Meno|      Because, according to you, figure is that which always follows
24  Meno|   colour is, any more than what figure is—what sort of answer would
25  Meno|     understand my definition of figure. I define figure to be that
26  Meno|  definition of figure. I define figure to be that in which the
27  Meno|     than the other answer about figure.~MENO: Yes.~SOCRATES: And
28  Meno| remember how, in the example of figure, we rejected any answer
29  Meno|         boy, do you know that a figure like this is a square?~BOY:
30  Meno|      And you know that a square figure has these four lines equal?~
31  Meno|          And if one side of the figure be of two feet, and the
32  Meno| necessary in order to produce a figure of eight square feet; does
33  Meno| speaking of an oblong, but of a figure equal every way, and twice
34  Meno|          Let us describe such a figure: Would you not say that
35  Meno|        not say that this is the figure of eight feet?~BOY: Yes.~
36  Meno|     these four divisions in the figure, each of which is equal
37  Meno|        of which is equal to the figure of four feet?~BOY: True.~
38  Meno|         one: and that makes the figure of which you speak?~BOY:
39  Meno|       Eight.~SOCRATES: Then the figure of eight is not made out
40  Meno|      now, what is the side of a figure of eight feet: but then
41  Meno|       what line do you get this figure?~BOY: From this.~SOCRATES:
42  Meno|         corner to corner of the figure of four feet?~BOY: Yes.~
43  Meno|    forming a conclusion: If the figure be such that when you have