22
The Electra is the famous Electra, the daughter of Agamemnon, who at once knew and did not know the same thing; for when Orestes stood beside her before the recognition she knew that Orestes was her brother, but did not know that this was Orestes.Here again Lucian does scant justice to the fallacy, which he really gives away by his statement of it. It should run: ‘she at once knew and did not know that Orestes was her brother, for she did not know that this man was her brother; but this man was Orestes.” As to the Veiled Figure, you shall hear a very wonderful argument. Tell me, do you know your own father?
22
Yes.
22
But if I put a veiled figure before you and asked you if you know him, what will you say?
22
That I don’t, of course.
23
But the veiled figure turns out to be your own father; so if you don’t know him, you evidently don’t know your own father.
23
Not so: I should unveil him and find out the truth! But to go on—what is the purpose of your wisdom, and what shall you do when you reach the summit of virtue?
