7
Furthermore, though there are but four elements, Cf. Mor. 948 d above; in 729 b the sea is called the naturally hostile element. water provides from itself a fifth, so to say, the sea, one no less beneficial than the others, especially for commerce among other things. This element, therefore, when our life was savage and unsociable, linked it together and made it complete, redressing defects by mutual assistance and exchange and so bringing about co-operation and friendship. Now HeraclitusDiels-Kranz, Frag. der Vorsok. i. 173, frag. B 99. In Mor. 98 c a fuller and more appropriate version is given; but see now H. Fränkel, Wege und Formen, p. 270 and n. 1. declares, If there were no sun, it would be perpetual night; in the same way we may say that if there were no sea, man would be the most savage and destitute of all creatures. But as it is, the sea brought the Greeks the vine from India, from Greece transmitted the use of grain across the sea, from Phoenicia imported letters as a memorial against forgetfulness, Cf. Euripides, frag. 578 (p. 542 Nauck). thus preventing the greater part of mankind from being wineless, grainless, and unlettered. How, then, should water not be more useful when it has the advantage over fire of one more element?For this delightful absurdity see Sandbach, op. cit. p. 199, n. 4.
