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foresight of all the evil which the murder of Myrtilus would entail upon
his whole race in remote ages； he saw only what was at hand and immediate；
or in other words； pelas （near）； in his eagerness to win Hippodamia by
all means for his bride。 Every one would agree that the name of Tantalus
is rightly given and in accordance with nature； if the traditions about him
are true。
HERMOGENES： And what are the traditions？
SOCRATES： Many terrible misfortunes are said to have happened to him in
his lifelast of all； came the utter ruin of his country； and after his
death he had the stone suspended （talanteia） over his head in the world
belowall this agrees wonderfully well with his name。 You might imagine
that some person who wanted to call him Talantatos （the most weighted down
by misfortune）； disguised the name by altering it into Tantalus； and into
this form； by some accident of tradition； it has actually been transmuted。
The name of Zeus； who is his alleged father； has also an excellent meaning；
although hard to be understood； because really like a sentence； which is
divided into two parts； for some call him Zena； and use the one half； and
others who use the other half call him Dia； the two together signify the
nature of the God； and the business of a name； as we were saying； is to
express the nature。 For there is none who is more the author of life to us
and to all； than the lord and king of all。 Wherefore we are right in
calling him Zena and Dia； which are one name； although divided； meaning the
God through whom all creatures always have life （di on zen aei pasi tois
zosin uparchei）。 There is an irreverence； at first sight； in calling him
son of Cronos （who is a proverb for stupidity）； and we might rather expect
Zeus to be the child of a mighty intellect。 Which is the fact； for this is
the meaning of his father's name： Kronos quasi Koros （Choreo； to sweep）；
not in the sense of a youth； but signifying to chatharon chai acheraton tou
nou； the pure and garnished mind （sc。 apo tou chorein）。 He； as we are
informed by tradition； was begotten of Uranus； rightly so called （apo tou
oran ta ano） from looking upwards； which； as philosophers tell us； is the
way to have a pure mind； and the name Uranus is therefore correct。 If I
could remember the genealogy of Hesiod； I would have gone on and tried more
conclusions of the same sort on the remoter ancestors of the Gods；then I
might have seen whether this wisdom； which has come to me all in an
instant； I know not whence； will or will not hold good to the end。
HERMOGENES： You seem to me； Socrates； to be quite like a prophet newly
inspired； and to be uttering oracles。
SOCRATES： Yes； Hermogenes； and I believe that I caught the inspiration
from the great Euthyphro of the Prospaltian deme； who gave me a long
lecture which commenced at dawn： he talked and I listened； and his wisdom
and enchanting ravishment has not only filled my ears but taken possession
of my soul；and to…day I shall let his superhuman power work and finish the
investigation of namesthat will be the way； but to…morrow； if you are so
disposed； we will conjure him away； and make a purgation of him； if we can
only find some priest or sophist who is skilled in purifications of this
sort。
HERMOGENES： With all my heart； for am very curious to hear the rest of the
enquiry about names。
SOCRATES： Then let us proceed； and where would you have us begin； now that
we have got a sort of outline of the enquiry？ Are there any names which
witness of themselves that they are not given arbitrarily； but have a
natural fitness？ The names of heroes and of men in general are apt to be
deceptive because they are often called after ancestors with whose names；
as we were saying； they may have no business； or they are the expression of
a wish like Eutychides （the son of good fortune）； or Sosias （the Saviour）；
or Theophilus （the beloved of God）； and others。 But I think that we had
better leave these； for there will be more chance of finding correctness in
the names of immutable essences；there ought to have been more care taken
about them when they were named； and perhaps there may have been some more
than human power at work occasionally in giving them names。
HERMOGENES： I think so； Socrates。
SOCRATES： Ought we not to begin with the consideration of the Gods； and
show that they are rightly named Gods？
HERMOGENES： Yes； that will be well。
SOCRATES： My notion would be something of this sort：I suspect that the
sun； moon； earth； stars； and heaven； which are still the Gods of many
barbarians； were the only Gods known to the aboriginal Hellenes。 Seeing
that they were always moving and running； from their running nature they
were called Gods or runners （Theous； Theontas）； and when men became
acquainted with the other Gods； they proceeded to apply the same name to
them all。 Do you think that likely？
HERMOGENES： I think it very likely indeed。
SOCRATES： What shall follow the Gods？
HERMOGENES： Must not demons and heroes and men come next？
SOCRATES： Demons！ And what do you consider to be the meaning of this
word？ Tell me if my view is right。
HERMOGENES： Let me hear。
SOCRATES： You know how Hesiod uses the word？
HERMOGENES： I do not。
SOCRATES： Do you not remember that he speaks of a golden race of men who
came first？
HERMOGENES： Yes； I do。
SOCRATES： He says of them
'But now that fate has closed over this race
They are holy demons upon the earth；
Beneficent； averters of ills； guardians of mortal men。' （Hesiod； Works and
Days。）
HERMOGENES： What is the inference？
SOCRATES： What is the inference！ Why； I suppose that he means by the
golden men； not men literally made of gold； but good and noble； and I am
convinced of this； because he further says that we are the iron race。
HERMOGENES： That is true。
SOCRATES： And do you not suppose that good men of our own day would by him
be said to be of golden race？
HERMOGENES： Very likely。
SOCRATES： And are not the good wise？
HERMOGENES： Yes； they are wise。
SOCRATES： And therefore I have the most entire conviction that he called
them demons； because they were daemones （knowing or wise）； and in our older
Attic dialect the word itself occurs。 Now he and other poets say truly；
that when a good man dies he has honour and a mighty portion among the
dead； and becomes a demon； which is a name given to him signifying wisdom。
And I say too； that every wise man who happens to be a good man is more
than human （daimonion） both in life and death； and is rightly called a
demon。
HERMOGENES： Then I rather think that I am of one mind with you； but what
is the meaning of the word 'hero'？ （Eros with an eta； in the old writing
eros with an epsilon。）
SOCRATES： I think that there is no difficulty in explaining； for the name
is not much altered； and signifies that they were born of love。
HERMOGENES： What do you mean？
SOCRATES： Do you not know that the heroes are demigods？
HERMOGENES： What then？
SOCRATES： All of them sprang either from the love of a God for a mortal
woman； or of a mortal man for a Goddess； think of the word in the old
Attic； and you will see better that the name heros is only a slight
alteration of Eros； from whom the heroes sprang： either this is the
meaning； or； if not this； then they must have been skilful as rhetoricians
and dialecticians； and able to put the question （erotan）； for eirein is
equivalent to legein。 And therefore； as I was saying； in the Attic dialect
the heroes turn out to be rhetoricians and questioners。 All this is easy
enough； the noble breed of heroes are a tribe of sophists and rhetors。 But
can you tell me why men are called anthropoi？that is more difficult。
HERMOGENES： No； I cannot； and I would not try even if I could； because I
think that you are the more likely to succeed。
SOCRATES： That is to say； you trust to the inspiration of Euthyphro。
HERMOGENES： Of course。
SOCRATES： Your faith is not vain； for at this very moment a new and
ingenious thought strikes me； and； if I am not careful； before to…morrow's
dawn I shall be wiser than I ought to be。 Now； attend to me； and first；
remember that we often put in and pull out letters in words； and give names
as we please and change the accents。 Take； for example； the word Dii
Philos； in order to convert this from a sentence into a noun； we omit one
of the iotas and sound the middle syllable grave instead of acute； as； on
the other hand； letters are sometimes inserted in words instead of being
omitted； and the acute takes the place of the grave。
HERMOGENES： That is true。
SOCRATES： The name anthropos； which was once a sentence； and is now a
noun； appears to be a case just of this sort； for one letter； which is the
alpha； has been omitted； and the acute on