Sophist – Plato
THEAETETUS: The difficulties which are dawn-THEAETETUS: How is that?
ing upon us prove this; for one objection connects with another, and they are always involv-STRANGER: Some of them are dragging down ing what has preceded in a greater and worse all things from heaven and from the unseen to perplexity.
earth, and they literally grasp in their hands rocks and oaks; of these they lay hold, and obsti-STRANGER: We are far from having exhausted nately maintain, that the things only which can the more exact thinkers who treat of being and be touched or handled have being or essence, not-being. But let us be content to leave them, because they define being and body as one, and and proceed to view those who speak less pre-if any one else says that what is not a body ex-cisely; and we shall find as the result of all, that ists they altogether despise him, and will hear the nature of being is quite as difficult to com-of nothing but body.
prehend as that of not-being.
THEAETETUS: I have often met with such men, THEAETETUS: Then now we will go to the others.
and terrible fellows they are.
STRANGER: There appears to be a sort of war of STRANGER: And that is the reason why their Giants and Gods going on amongst them; they opponents cautiously defend themselves from are fighting with one another about the nature above, out of an unseen world, mightily contend-of essence.
ing that true essence consists of certain intelligible and incorporeal ideas; the bodies of the 127
Sophist – Plato
materialists, which by them are maintained to THEAETETUS: What?
be the very truth, they break up into little bits by their arguments, and affirm them to be, not STRANGER: Let us, if we can, really improve essence, but generation and motion. Between the them; but if this is not possible, let us imagine two armies, Theaetetus, there is always an end-them to be better than they are, and more will-less conflict raging concerning these matters.
ing to answer in accordance with the rules of argument, and then their opinion will be more THEAETETUS: True.
worth having; for that which better men acknowledge has more weight than that which STRANGER: Let us ask each party in turn, to give is acknowledged by inferior men. Moreover we an account of that which they call essence.
are no respecters of persons, but seekers after truth.
THEAETETUS: How shall we get it out of them?
THEAETETUS: Very good.
STRANGER: With those who make being to consist in ideas, there will be less difficulty, for they STRANGER: Then now, on the supposition that are civil people enough; but there will be very they are improved, let us ask them to state their great difficulty, or rather an absolute impossibil-views, and do you interpret them.
ity, in getting an opinion out of those who drag everything down to matter. Shall I tell you what THEAETETUS: Agreed.
we must do?