Thesauros Literature Philosophy Σοφιστής

Σοφιστής

Σοφιστής Plato
239 Str. Well, if you like, let us say no more of you and me; but until we find someone who can accomplish this, let us confess that the sophist has in most rascally fashion hidden himself in a place we cannot explore.
239 Theaet. That seems to be decidedly the case.
239 Str. And so, if we say he has an art, as it were, of making appearances, he will easily take advantage of our poverty of terms to make a counter attack, twisting our words to the opposite meaning; when we call him an image-maker, he will ask us what we mean by image, exactly. So, Theaetetus, we must see what reply is to be made to the young man’s question.
239 Theaet. Obviously we shall reply that we mean the images in water and in mirrors, and those in paintings, too, and sculptures, and all the other things of the same sort.
239 Str. It is evident, Theaetetus, that you never saw a sophist.
239 Theaet. Why?
239 Str. He will make you think his eyes are shut or he has none at all.
239 Theaet. How so?
240 Str. When you give this answer, if you speak of something in mirrors or works of art, he will laugh at your words, when you talk to him as if he could see. 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.
240 Theaet. What is that?
240 Str. 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.
240 Theaet. Why, Stranger, what can we say an image is, except another such thing fashioned in the likeness of the true one?
240 Str. Do you mean another such true one, or in what sense did you say such?
240 Theaet. Not a true one by any means, but only one like the true.
240 Str. And by the true you mean that which really is?
240 Theaet. Exactly.
240 Str. And the not true is the opposite of the true?
240 Theaet. Of course.
240 Str. That which is like, then, you say does not really exist, if you say it is not true.

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