[239a]
I was contradicting what I said before.Theaetetus
Evidently.Stranger
Well, then; when I attached this verb to it, did I not address it in the singular?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
And when I called it irrational, inexpressible, and unspeakable, I addressed my speech to it as singular.Theaetetus
Of course you did.Stranger
But we say that, if one is to speak correctly, one must not define it as either singular or plural, and must not even call it “it” at all; for even by this manner of referring to it one would be giving it the form of the singular.Theaetetus
Certainly. [239b] Stranger
But poor me, what can anyone say of me any longer? For you would find me now, as always before, defeated in the refutation of not-being. So, as I said before, we must not look to me for correctness of speech about not-being. But come now, let us look to you for it.Theaetetus
What do you mean?Stranger
Come, I beg of you, make a sturdy effort, young man as you are, and try with might and main to say something correctly about not-being, without attributing to it either existence or unity or plurality. [239c] Theaetetus
But I should be possessed of great and absurd eagerness for the attempt, if I were to undertake it with your experience before my eyes.Stranger
Well, if you like, let us say no more of you and me; but until we find someone who can accomplish this, let us confess that the sophist has in most rascally fashion hidden himself in a place we cannot explore.Theaetetus
That seems to be decidedly the case.Stranger
And so, if we say he has an art, as it were, of making appearances, [239d] he will easily take advantage of our poverty of terms to make a counter attack, twisting our words to the opposite meaning; when we call him an image-maker, he will ask us what we mean by “image,” exactly. So, Theaetetus, we must see what reply is to be made to the young man's question.Theaetetus
Obviously we shall reply that we mean the images in water and in mirrors, and those in paintings, too, and sculptures, and all the other things of the same sort. [239e] Stranger
It is evident, Theaetetus, that you never saw a sophist.Theaetetus
Why?Stranger
He will make you think his eyes are shut or he has none at all.Theaetetus
How so?Stranger
When you give this answer, if you speak of something in mirrors or works of art, he will laugh at your words, when you talk to him as if he could see.
Evidently.Stranger
Well, then; when I attached this verb to it, did I not address it in the singular?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
And when I called it irrational, inexpressible, and unspeakable, I addressed my speech to it as singular.Theaetetus
Of course you did.Stranger
But we say that, if one is to speak correctly, one must not define it as either singular or plural, and must not even call it “it” at all; for even by this manner of referring to it one would be giving it the form of the singular.Theaetetus
Certainly. [239b] Stranger
But poor me, what can anyone say of me any longer? For you would find me now, as always before, defeated in the refutation of not-being. So, as I said before, we must not look to me for correctness of speech about not-being. But come now, let us look to you for it.Theaetetus
What do you mean?Stranger
Come, I beg of you, make a sturdy effort, young man as you are, and try with might and main to say something correctly about not-being, without attributing to it either existence or unity or plurality. [239c] Theaetetus
But I should be possessed of great and absurd eagerness for the attempt, if I were to undertake it with your experience before my eyes.Stranger
Well, if you like, let us say no more of you and me; but until we find someone who can accomplish this, let us confess that the sophist has in most rascally fashion hidden himself in a place we cannot explore.Theaetetus
That seems to be decidedly the case.Stranger
And so, if we say he has an art, as it were, of making appearances, [239d] he will easily take advantage of our poverty of terms to make a counter attack, twisting our words to the opposite meaning; when we call him an image-maker, he will ask us what we mean by “image,” exactly. So, Theaetetus, we must see what reply is to be made to the young man's question.Theaetetus
Obviously we shall reply that we mean the images in water and in mirrors, and those in paintings, too, and sculptures, and all the other things of the same sort. [239e] Stranger
It is evident, Theaetetus, that you never saw a sophist.Theaetetus
Why?Stranger
He will make you think his eyes are shut or he has none at all.Theaetetus
How so?Stranger
When you give this answer, if you speak of something in mirrors or works of art, he will laugh at your words, when you talk to him as if he could see.
