264
Str. But now, since the existence of false speech and false opinion has been proved, it is possible for imitations of realities to exist and for an art of deception to arise from this condition of mind.
264
Theaet. Yes, it is possible.
264
Str. And we decided some time ago that the sophist was in one of those two divisions of the image-making class.
264
Theaet. Yes.
265
Str. Then let us try again; let us divide in two the class we have taken up for discussion, and proceed always by way of the right-hand part of the thing divided, clinging close to the company to which the sophist belongs, until, having stripped him of all common properties and left him only his own peculiar nature, we shall show him plainly first to ourselves and secondly to those who are most closely akin to the dialectic method.
265
Theaet. Right.
265
Str. We began by making two divisions of art, the productive and the acquisitive, did we not? See Plat. Theaet. 219
265
Theaet. Yes.
265
Str. And the sophist showed himself to us in the arts of hunting, contests, commerce, and the like, which were subdivisions of acquisitive art?
265
Theaet. Certainly.
265
Str. But now, since imitative art has taken him over, it is clear that our first step must be the division of productive art into two parts; for imitative art is a kind of production—of images, however, we say, not of real things in each case. Do you agree?
265
Theaet. By all means.
265
Str. Then let us first assume two parts of productive art.
265
Theaet. What are they?
265
Str. The divine and the human.
265
Theaet. I don’t yet understand.
265
Str. We said, if we remember the beginning of our conversation, that every power is productive which causes things to come into being which did not exist before.
265
Theaet. Yes, we remember.
