[250a]
we may not justly be asked the same questions we asked a while ago of those who said the universe was hot and cold.1Theaetetus
What questions? Remind me.Stranger
Certainly; and I will try to do this by questioning you, as we questioned them at the time. I hope we shall at the same time make a little progress.Theaetetus
That is right.Stranger
Very well, then; you say that motion and rest are most directly opposed to each other, do you not?Theaetetus
Of course.Stranger
And yet you say that both and each of them equally exist? [250b] Theaetetus
Yes, I do.Stranger
And in granting that they exist, do you mean to say that both and each are in motion?Theaetetus
By no means.Stranger
But do you mean that they are at rest, when you say that both exist?Theaetetus
Of course not.Stranger
Being, then, you consider to be something else in the soul, a third in addition to these two, inasmuch as you think rest and motion are embraced by it; and since you comprehend and observe that they participate in existence, you therefore said that they are. Eh? [250c] Theaetetus
We really do seem to have a vague vision of being as some third thing, when we say that motion and rest are.Stranger
Then being is not motion and rest in combination, but something else, different from them.Theaetetus
Apparently.Stranger
According to its own nature, then, being is neither at rest nor in motion.Theaetetus
You are about right.Stranger
What is there left, then, to which a man can still turn his mind who wishes to establish within himself any clear conception of being?Theaetetus
What indeed?Stranger
There is nothing left, I think, to which he can turn easily. For if [250d] a thing is not in motion, it must surely be at rest; and again, what is not at rest, must surely be in motion. But now we find that being has emerged outside of both these classes. Is that possible, then?Theaetetus
No, nothing could be more impossible.Stranger
Then there is this further thing which we ought to remember.Theaetetus
What is it?Stranger
That when we were asked to what the appellation of not-being should be applied, we were in the greatest perplexity. Do you remember?Theaetetus
Of course I do.Stranger
Well, then, are we now in any less perplexity [250e] about being?Theaetetus
It seems to me, stranger, that we are, if possible, in even greater.Stranger
This point, then, let us put down definitely as one of complete perplexity. But since being and not-being participate equally in the perplexity, there is now at last some hope that as either of them emerges more dimly or more clearly, so also will the other emerge.
What questions? Remind me.Stranger
Certainly; and I will try to do this by questioning you, as we questioned them at the time. I hope we shall at the same time make a little progress.Theaetetus
That is right.Stranger
Very well, then; you say that motion and rest are most directly opposed to each other, do you not?Theaetetus
Of course.Stranger
And yet you say that both and each of them equally exist? [250b] Theaetetus
Yes, I do.Stranger
And in granting that they exist, do you mean to say that both and each are in motion?Theaetetus
By no means.Stranger
But do you mean that they are at rest, when you say that both exist?Theaetetus
Of course not.Stranger
Being, then, you consider to be something else in the soul, a third in addition to these two, inasmuch as you think rest and motion are embraced by it; and since you comprehend and observe that they participate in existence, you therefore said that they are. Eh? [250c] Theaetetus
We really do seem to have a vague vision of being as some third thing, when we say that motion and rest are.Stranger
Then being is not motion and rest in combination, but something else, different from them.Theaetetus
Apparently.Stranger
According to its own nature, then, being is neither at rest nor in motion.Theaetetus
You are about right.Stranger
What is there left, then, to which a man can still turn his mind who wishes to establish within himself any clear conception of being?Theaetetus
What indeed?Stranger
There is nothing left, I think, to which he can turn easily. For if [250d] a thing is not in motion, it must surely be at rest; and again, what is not at rest, must surely be in motion. But now we find that being has emerged outside of both these classes. Is that possible, then?Theaetetus
No, nothing could be more impossible.Stranger
Then there is this further thing which we ought to remember.Theaetetus
What is it?Stranger
That when we were asked to what the appellation of not-being should be applied, we were in the greatest perplexity. Do you remember?Theaetetus
Of course I do.Stranger
Well, then, are we now in any less perplexity [250e] about being?Theaetetus
It seems to me, stranger, that we are, if possible, in even greater.Stranger
This point, then, let us put down definitely as one of complete perplexity. But since being and not-being participate equally in the perplexity, there is now at last some hope that as either of them emerges more dimly or more clearly, so also will the other emerge.
