"Sophist" - читать интересную книгу автора (Plato)

360 BC

SOPHIST

by Plato

translated by Benjamin Jowett

SOPHIST



PERSONS OF THE DIALOGUE: THEODORUS; THEAETETUS; SOCRATES An ELEATIC.

STRANGER, whom Theodorus and Theaetetus bring with them.

The younger SOCRATES, who is a silent auditor.



Theodorus. Here we are, Socrates, true to our agreement of

yesterday; and we bring with us a stranger from Elea, who is a

disciple of Parmenides and Zeno, and a true philosopher.

Socrates. Is he not rather a god, Theodorus, who comes to us in

the disguise of a stranger? For Homer says that all the gods, and

especially the god of strangers, are companions of the meek and

just, and visit the good and evil among men. And may not your

companion be one of those higher powers, a cross-examining deity,

who has come to spy out our weakness in argument, and to cross-examine

us?

Theod. Nay, Socrates, he is not one of the disputatious sort-he is

too good for that. And, in my opinion, he is not a god at all; but

divine he certainly is, for this is a title which I should give to all

philosophers.

Soc. Capital, my friend! and I may add that they are almost as