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HERMOGENES： And what do you say of their opposites？
SOCRATES： Of such as are mere negatives I hardly think that I need speak。
HERMOGENES： Which are they？
SOCRATES： The words axumphoron （inexpedient）； anopheles （unprofitable）；
alusiteles （unadvantageous）； akerdes （ungainful）。
HERMOGENES： True。
SOCRATES： I would rather take the words blaberon （harmful）； zemiodes
（hurtful）。
HERMOGENES： Good。
SOCRATES： The word blaberon is that which is said to hinder or harm
（blaptein） the stream （roun）； blapton is boulomenon aptein （seeking to hold
or bind）； for aptein is the same as dein； and dein is always a term of
censure； boulomenon aptein roun （wanting to bind the stream） would properly
be boulapteroun； and this； as I imagine； is improved into blaberon。
HERMOGENES： You bring out curious results； Socrates； in the use of names；
and when I hear the word boulapteroun I cannot help imagining that you are
making your mouth into a flute； and puffing away at some prelude to Athene。
SOCRATES： That is the fault of the makers of the name； Hermogenes； not
mine。
HERMOGENES： Very true； but what is the derivation of zemiodes？
SOCRATES： What is the meaning of zemiodes？let me remark； Hermogenes； how
right I was in saying that great changes are made in the meaning of words
by putting in and pulling out letters； even a very slight permutation will
sometimes give an entirely opposite sense； I may instance the word deon；
which occurs to me at the moment； and reminds me of what I was going to say
to you； that the fine fashionable language of modern times has twisted and
disguised and entirely altered the original meaning both of deon； and also
of zemiodes； which in the old language is clearly indicated。
HERMOGENES： What do you mean？
SOCRATES： I will try to explain。 You are aware that our forefathers loved
the sounds iota and delta； especially the women； who are most conservative
of the ancient language； but now they change iota into eta or epsilon； and
delta into zeta； this is supposed to increase the grandeur of the sound。
HERMOGENES： How do you mean？
SOCRATES： For example； in very ancient times they called the day either
imera or emera （short e）； which is called by us emera （long e）。
HERMOGENES： That is true。
SOCRATES： Do you observe that only the ancient form shows the intention of
the giver of the name？ of which the reason is； that men long for
（imeirousi） and love the light which comes after the darkness； and is
therefore called imera； from imeros； desire。
HERMOGENES： Clearly。
SOCRATES： But now the name is so travestied that you cannot tell the
meaning； although there are some who imagine the day to be called emera
because it makes things gentle （emera different accents）。
HERMOGENES： Such is my view。
SOCRATES： And do you know that the ancients said duogon and not zugon？
HERMOGENES： They did so。
SOCRATES： And zugon （yoke） has no meaning；it ought to be duogon； which
word expresses the binding of two together （duein agoge） for the purpose of
drawing；this has been changed into zugon； and there are many other
examples of similar changes。
HERMOGENES： There are。
SOCRATES： Proceeding in the same train of thought I may remark that the
word deon （obligation） has a meaning which is the opposite of all the other
appellations of good； for deon is here a species of good； and is；
nevertheless； the chain （desmos） or hinderer of motion； and therefore own
brother of blaberon。
HERMOGENES： Yes； Socrates； that is quite plain。
SOCRATES： Not if you restore the ancient form； which is more likely to be
the correct one； and read dion instead of deon； if you convert the epsilon
into an iota after the old fashion； this word will then agree with other
words meaning good； for dion； not deon； signifies the good； and is a term
of praise； and the author of names has not contradicted himself； but in all
these various appellations； deon （obligatory）； ophelimon （advantageous）；
lusiteloun （profitable）； kerdaleon （gainful）； agathon （good）； sumpheron
（expedient）； euporon （plenteous）； the same conception is implied of the
ordering or all…pervading principle which is praised； and the restraining
and binding principle which is censured。 And this is further illustrated
by the word zemiodes （hurtful）； which if the zeta is only changed into
delta as in the ancient language； becomes demiodes； and this name； as you
will perceive； is given to that which binds motion （dounti ion）。
HERMOGENES： What do you say of edone （pleasure）； lupe （pain）； epithumia
（desire）； and the like； Socrates？
SOCRATES： I do not think； Hermogenes； that there is any great difficulty
about themedone is e （eta） onesis； the action which tends to advantage；
and the original form may be supposed to have been eone； but this has been
altered by the insertion of the delta。 Lupe appears to be derived from the
relaxation （luein） which the body feels when in sorrow； ania （trouble） is
the hindrance of motion （alpha and ienai）； algedon （distress）； if I am not
mistaken； is a foreign word； which is derived from aleinos （grievous）；
odune （grief） is called from the putting on （endusis） sorrow； in achthedon
（vexation） 'the word too labours；' as any one may see； chara （joy） is the
very expression of the fluency and diffusion of the soul （cheo）； terpsis
（delight） is so called from the pleasure creeping （erpon） through the soul；
which may be likened to a breath （pnoe） and is properly erpnoun； but has
been altered by time into terpnon； eupherosune （cheerfulness） and epithumia
explain themselves； the former； which ought to be eupherosune and has been
changed euphrosune； is named； as every one may see； from the soul moving
（pheresthai） in harmony with nature； epithumia is really e epi ton thumon
iousa dunamis； the power which enters into the soul； thumos （passion） is
called from the rushing （thuseos） and boiling of the soul； imeros （desire）
denotes the stream （rous） which most draws the soul dia ten esin tes roes
because flowing with desire （iemenos）； and expresses a longing after things
and violent attraction of the soul to them； and is termed imeros from
possessing this power； pothos （longing） is expressive of the desire of that
which is not present but absent； and in another place （pou）； this is the
reason why the name pothos is applied to things absent； as imeros is to
things present； eros （love） is so called because flowing in （esron） from
without； the stream is not inherent； but is an influence introduced through
the eyes； and from flowing in was called esros （influx） in the old time
when they used omicron for omega； and is called eros； now that omega is
substituted for omicron。 But why do you not give me another word？
HERMOGENES： What do you think of doxa （opinion）； and that class of words？
SOCRATES： Doxa is either derived from dioxis （pursuit）； and expresses the
march of the soul in the pursuit of knowledge； or from the shooting of a
bow （toxon）； the latter is more likely； and is confirmed by oiesis
（thinking）； which is only oisis （moving）； and implies the movement of the
soul to the essential nature of each thingjust as boule （counsel） has to
do with shooting （bole）； and boulesthai （to wish） combines the notion of
aiming and deliberatingall these words seem to follow doxa； and all
involve the idea of shooting； just as aboulia； absence of counsel； on the
other hand； is a mishap； or missing； or mistaking of the mark； or aim； or
proposal； or object。
HERMOGENES： You are quickening your pace now； Socrates。
SOCRATES： Why yes； the end I now dedicate to God； not； however； until I
have explained anagke （necessity）； which ought to come next； and ekousion
（the voluntary）。 Ekousion is certainly the yielding （eikon） and
unresistingthe notion implied is yielding and not opposing； yielding； as
I was just now saying； to that motion which is in accordance with our will；
but the necessary and resistant being contrary to our will； implies error
and ignorance； the idea is taken from walking through a ravine which is
impassable； and rugged； and overgrown； and impedes motionand this is the
derivation of the word anagkaion （necessary） an agke ion； going through a
ravine。 But while my strength lasts let us persevere； and I hope that you
will persevere with your questions。
HERMOGENES： Well； then； let me ask about the greatest and noblest； such as
aletheia （truth） and pseudos （falsehood） and on （being）； not forgetting to
enquire why the word onoma （name）； which is the theme of our discussion；
has this name of onoma。
SOCRATES： You know the word maiesthai （to seek）？
HERMOGENES： Yes；meaning the same as zetein （to enquire）。
SOCRATES： The word onoma seems to be a compressed sentence； signifying on
ou zetema （being for which there is a search）； as is still more obvious in
onomaston （notable）； which s