[161a]
but nothing prevents its partaking of many things; indeed it must do so, if that one of which we are speaking, and not something else, is not. But if neither the one, nor 'that,' is not, but we are speaking of something else, there is no use in saying anything at all;1 but if non-existence is the property of that one, and not of something else, then the one must partake of 'that' and of many other attributes.” “Yes, certainly.”“And it will possess unlikeness in relation to other things for the things which are other than one, being different, will be of a different kind.” “Yes.” “And are not things which are of a different kind also of another kind?” “Of course.” “And things which are of another kind are unlike, are they not?”
1 i.e. if non-existence cannot be predicated either of the one (unitas) or of that (illuditas), but that of which we predicate non-existence is something else, then we may as well stop talking. It has just been affirmed that if that one of which we are speaking, and not something else, is not, then the one must partake of numerous attributes. Now it is affirmed that if the converse is true, further discussion is futile.
Plato. Plato in Twelve Volumes, Vol. 9 translated by Harold N. Fowler. Cambridge, MA, Harvard University Press; London, William Heinemann Ltd. 1925.
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