[240a]
He will feign ignorance of mirrors and water and of sight altogether, and will question you only about that which is deduced from your words.Theaetetus
What is that?Stranger
That which exists throughout all these things which you say are many but which you saw fit to call by one name, when you said “image” of them all, as if they were all one thing. So speak and defend yourself. Do not give way to the man at all.Theaetetus
Why, Stranger, what can we say an image is, except another such thing fashioned in the likeness of the true one?Stranger
Do you mean another such true one, or [240b] in what sense did you say “such”?Theaetetus
Not a true one by any means, but only one like the true.Stranger
And by the true you mean that which really is?Theaetetus
Exactly.Stranger
And the not true is the opposite of the true?Theaetetus
Of course.Stranger
That which is like, then, you say does not really exist, if you say it is not true.Theaetetus
But it does exist, in a way.Stranger
But not truly, you mean.Theaetetus
No, except that it is really a likeness.Stranger
Then what we call a likeness, though not really existing, really does exist? [240c] Theaetetus
Not-being does seem to have got into some such entanglement with being, and it is very absurd.Stranger
Of course it is absurd. You see, at any rate, how by this interchange of words the many-headed sophist has once more forced us against our will to admit that not-being exists in a way.Theaetetus
Yes, I see that very well.Stranger
Well then, how can we define his art without contradicting ourselves?Theaetetus
Why do you say that? What are you afraid of? [240d] Stranger
When, in talking about appearance, we say that he deceives and that his art is an art of deception, shall we say that our mind is misled by his art to hold a false opinion, or what shall we say?Theaetetus
We shall say that. What else could we say?Stranger
But, again, false opinion will be that which thinks the opposite of reality, will it not?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
You mean, then, that false opinion thinks things which are not?Theaetetus
Necessarily. [240e] Stranger
Does it think that things which are not, are not, or that things which are not at all, in some sense are?Theaetetus
It must think that things which are not in some sense are—that is, if anyone is ever to think falsely at all, even in a slight degree.Stranger
And does it not also think that things which certainly are, are not at all?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
And this too is falsehood?Theaetetus
Yes, it is,Stranger
And therefore a statement will likewise be considered false,
What is that?Stranger
That which exists throughout all these things which you say are many but which you saw fit to call by one name, when you said “image” of them all, as if they were all one thing. So speak and defend yourself. Do not give way to the man at all.Theaetetus
Why, Stranger, what can we say an image is, except another such thing fashioned in the likeness of the true one?Stranger
Do you mean another such true one, or [240b] in what sense did you say “such”?Theaetetus
Not a true one by any means, but only one like the true.Stranger
And by the true you mean that which really is?Theaetetus
Exactly.Stranger
And the not true is the opposite of the true?Theaetetus
Of course.Stranger
That which is like, then, you say does not really exist, if you say it is not true.Theaetetus
But it does exist, in a way.Stranger
But not truly, you mean.Theaetetus
No, except that it is really a likeness.Stranger
Then what we call a likeness, though not really existing, really does exist? [240c] Theaetetus
Not-being does seem to have got into some such entanglement with being, and it is very absurd.Stranger
Of course it is absurd. You see, at any rate, how by this interchange of words the many-headed sophist has once more forced us against our will to admit that not-being exists in a way.Theaetetus
Yes, I see that very well.Stranger
Well then, how can we define his art without contradicting ourselves?Theaetetus
Why do you say that? What are you afraid of? [240d] Stranger
When, in talking about appearance, we say that he deceives and that his art is an art of deception, shall we say that our mind is misled by his art to hold a false opinion, or what shall we say?Theaetetus
We shall say that. What else could we say?Stranger
But, again, false opinion will be that which thinks the opposite of reality, will it not?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
You mean, then, that false opinion thinks things which are not?Theaetetus
Necessarily. [240e] Stranger
Does it think that things which are not, are not, or that things which are not at all, in some sense are?Theaetetus
It must think that things which are not in some sense are—that is, if anyone is ever to think falsely at all, even in a slight degree.Stranger
And does it not also think that things which certainly are, are not at all?Theaetetus
Yes.Stranger
And this too is falsehood?Theaetetus
Yes, it is,Stranger
And therefore a statement will likewise be considered false,
