[226a]
Stranger
Yes, and the sophist is nothing else, apparently, than the money-making class of the disputatious, argumentative, controversial, pugnacious, combative, acquisitive art, as our argument has now again stated.Theaetetus
Certainly.Stranger
Do you see the truth of the statement that this creature is many-sided and, as the saying is, not to be caught with one hand?Theaetetus
Then we must catch him with both.Stranger
Yes, we must, and must go at it with all our might, [226b] by following another track of his—in this way. Tell me; of the expressions connected with menial occupations some are in common use, are they not?Theaetetus
Yes, many. But to which of the many does your question refer?Stranger
To such as these: we say “sift” and “strain” and “winnow” and “separate.”1Theaetetus
Certainly.Stranger
And besides these there are “card” and “comb” and “beat the web” and countless other technical terms which we know. Is it not so?Theaetetus
Why do you use these as examples and ask about them all? [226c] What do you wish to show in regard to them?Stranger
All those that I have mentioned imply a notion of division.Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
Then since there is, accorling to my reckoning, one art involved in all of these operations, let us give it one name.Theaetetus
What shall we call it?Stranger
The art of discrimination.Theaetetus
Very well.Stranger
Now see if we can discover two divisions of this.Theaetetus
You demand quick thinking, for a boy like me. [226d] Stranger
And yet, in the instance of discrimination just mentioned there was, first, the separation of worse from better, and, secondly, of like from like.Theaetetus
Yes, as you now express it, that is pretty clear.Stranger
Now I know no common name for the second kind of discrimination; but I do know the name of the kind which retains the better and throws away the worse.Theaetetus
What is it?Stranger
Every such discrimination, as I think, is universally called a sort of purification.Theaetetus
Yes, so it is. [226e] Stranger
And could not anyone see that purification is of two kinds?Theaetetus
Yes, perhaps, in time; but still I do not see it now.Stranger
Still there are many kinds of purifications of bodies, and they may all properly be included under one name.Theaetetus
What are they and what is the name?Stranger
The purification of living creatures, having to do with impurities within the body, such as are successfully discriminated by gymnastics and medicine,
Yes, and the sophist is nothing else, apparently, than the money-making class of the disputatious, argumentative, controversial, pugnacious, combative, acquisitive art, as our argument has now again stated.Theaetetus
Certainly.Stranger
Do you see the truth of the statement that this creature is many-sided and, as the saying is, not to be caught with one hand?Theaetetus
Then we must catch him with both.Stranger
Yes, we must, and must go at it with all our might, [226b] by following another track of his—in this way. Tell me; of the expressions connected with menial occupations some are in common use, are they not?Theaetetus
Yes, many. But to which of the many does your question refer?Stranger
To such as these: we say “sift” and “strain” and “winnow” and “separate.”1Theaetetus
Certainly.Stranger
And besides these there are “card” and “comb” and “beat the web” and countless other technical terms which we know. Is it not so?Theaetetus
Why do you use these as examples and ask about them all? [226c] What do you wish to show in regard to them?Stranger
All those that I have mentioned imply a notion of division.Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
Then since there is, accorling to my reckoning, one art involved in all of these operations, let us give it one name.Theaetetus
What shall we call it?Stranger
The art of discrimination.Theaetetus
Very well.Stranger
Now see if we can discover two divisions of this.Theaetetus
You demand quick thinking, for a boy like me. [226d] Stranger
And yet, in the instance of discrimination just mentioned there was, first, the separation of worse from better, and, secondly, of like from like.Theaetetus
Yes, as you now express it, that is pretty clear.Stranger
Now I know no common name for the second kind of discrimination; but I do know the name of the kind which retains the better and throws away the worse.Theaetetus
What is it?Stranger
Every such discrimination, as I think, is universally called a sort of purification.Theaetetus
Yes, so it is. [226e] Stranger
And could not anyone see that purification is of two kinds?Theaetetus
Yes, perhaps, in time; but still I do not see it now.Stranger
Still there are many kinds of purifications of bodies, and they may all properly be included under one name.Theaetetus
What are they and what is the name?Stranger
The purification of living creatures, having to do with impurities within the body, such as are successfully discriminated by gymnastics and medicine,
