"Sophist" - читать интересную книгу автора (Plato)

hard to be discerned as the gods. For the true philosophers, and

such as are not merely made up for the occasion, appear in various

forms unrecognized by the ignorance of men, and they "hover about

cities," as Homer declares, looking from above upon human life; and

some think nothing of them, and others can never think enough; and

sometimes they appear as statesmen, and sometimes as sophists; and

then, again, to many they seem to be no better than madmen. I should

like to ask our Eleatic friend, if he would tell us, what is thought

about them in Italy, and to whom the terms are applied.

Theod. What terms?

Soc. Sophist, statesman, philosopher.

Theod. What is your difficulty about them, and what made you ask?

Soc. I want to know whether by his countrymen they are regarded as

one or two; or do they, as the names are three, distinguish also three

kinds, and assign one to each name?

Theod. I dare say that the Stranger will not object to discuss the

question. What do you say, Stranger?

Stranger. I am far from objecting, Theodorus, nor have I any

difficulty in replying that by us they are regarded as three. But to

define precisely the nature of each of them is by no means a slight or

easy task.

Theod. You have happened to light, Socrates, almost on the very

question which we were asking our friend before we came hither, and he

excused himself to us, as he does now you; although he admitted that

the matter had been fully discussed, and that he remembered the