Sophist by Plato. - HTML preview

76

Sophist – Plato

THEAETETUS: Clearly in the acquisitive class.

STRANGER: And there is no reason why the art of hunting should not be further divided.

STRANGER: And the acquisitive may be subdivided into two parts: there is exchange, which is THEAETETUS: How would you make the division?

voluntary and is effected by gifts, hire, purchase; and the other part of acquisitive, which takes by STRANGER: Into the hunting of living and of life-force of word or deed, may be termed conquest?

less prey.

THEAETETUS: That is implied in what has been THEAETETUS: Yes, if both kinds exist.

said.

STRANGER: Of course they exist; but the hunt-STRANGER: And may not conquest be again sub-ing after lifeless things having no special name, divided?

except some sorts of diving, and other small matters, may be omitted; the hunting after liv-THEAETETUS: How?

ing things may be called animal hunting.

STRANGER: Open force may be called fighting, THEAETETUS: Yes.

and secret force may have the general name of hunting?

STRANGER: And animal hunting may be truly said to have two divisions, land-animal hunting, THEAETETUS: Yes.

which has many kinds and names, and water-77

Sophist – Plato

animal hunting, or the hunting after animals further divided also into two principal kinds?

who swim?

THEAETETUS: What are they?

THEAETETUS: True.

STRANGER: There is one kind which takes them STRANGER: And of swimming animals, one class in nets, another which takes them by a blow.

lives on the wing and the other in the water?

THEAETETUS: What do you mean, and how do THEAETETUS: Certainly.

you distinguish them?

STRANGER: Fowling is the general term under STRANGER: As to the first kind—all that sur-which the hunting of all birds is included.

rounds and encloses anything to prevent egress, may be rightly called an enclosure.

THEAETETUS: True.

THEAETETUS: Very true.

STRANGER: The hunting of animals who live in the water has the general name of fishing.

STRANGER: For which reason twig baskets, cast-ing-nets, nooses, creels, and THEAETETUS: Yes.

the like may all be termed ‘enclosures’?

STRANGER: And this sort of hunting may be THEAETETUS: True.