410
Hermogenes. Truly, Socrates, you are going ahead at a great rate.
410
Socrates. Yes, I fancy I am already far along on the road of wisdom.
410
Hermogenes. I am sure you are.
410
Socrates. You will be surer presently.
411
Hermogenes. Now after the class of words you, have explained, I should like to examine the correctness of the noble words that relate to virtue, such as wisdom, intelligence, justice, and all the others of that sort.
411
Socrates. You are stirring up a mighty tribe of words, my friend; however, since I have put on the lion helmet, I must not play the coward, but must, it seems, examine wisdom, intelligence, thought, knowledge, and all the other noble words of which you speak.
411
Hermogenes. Certainly we must not stop until that is done.
411
Socrates. By dog, I believe I have a fine intuition which has just come to me, that the very ancient men who invented names were quite like most of the present philosophers who always get dizzy as they turn round and round in their search for the nature of things, and then the things seem to them to turn round and round and be in motion. They think the cause of this belief is not an affection within themselves, but that the nature of things really is such that nothing is at rest or stable, but everything is flowing and moving and always full of constant motion and generation. I say this because I thought of it with reference to all these words we are now considering.
411
Hermogenes. How is that, Socrates?
411
Socrates. Perhaps you did not observe that the names we just mentioned are given under the assumption that the things named are moving and flowing and being generated.
411
Hermogenes. No, I did not notice that at all.
411
Socrates. Surely the first one we mentioned is subject to such assumptions.
411
Hermogenes. What is the word ?