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quasi koros； not in the sense of a youth； but quasi to katharon kai
akeraton tou nouthe pure and garnished mind； which in turn is begotten of
Uranus； who is so called apo tou oran ta ano； from looking upwards； which；
as philosophers say； is the way to have a pure mind。 The earlier portion
of Hesiod's genealogy has escaped my memory； or I would try more
conclusions of the same sort。 'You talk like an oracle。' I caught the
infection from Euthyphro； who gave me a long lecture which began at dawn；
and has not only entered into my ears； but filled my soul； and my intention
is to yield to the inspiration to…day； and to…morrow I will be exorcised by
some priest or sophist。 'Go on； I am anxious to hear the rest。' Now that
we have a general notion； how shall we proceed？ What names will afford the
most crucial test of natural fitness？ Those of heroes and ordinary men are
often deceptive； because they are patronymics or expressions of a wish； let
us try gods and demi…gods。 Gods are so called； apo tou thein； from the
verb 'to run；' because the sun； moon； and stars run about the heaven； and
they being the original gods of the Hellenes； as they still are of the
Barbarians； their name is given to all Gods。 The demons are the golden
race of Hesiod； and by golden he means not literally golden； but good； and
they are called demons； quasi daemones； which in old Attic was used for
daimonesgood men are well said to become daimones when they die； because
they are knowing。 Eros （with an epsilon） is the same word as eros （with an
eta）： 'the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair；' or
perhaps they were a species of sophists or rhetoricians； and so called apo
tou erotan； or eirein； from their habit of spinning questions； for eirein
is equivalent to legein。 I get all this from Euthyphro； and now a new and
ingenious idea comes into my mind； and； if I am not careful； I shall be
wiser than I ought to be by to…morrow's dawn。 My idea is； that we may put
in and pull out letters at pleasure and alter the accents （as； for example；
Dii philos may be turned into Diphilos）； and we may make words into
sentences and sentences into words。 The name anthrotos is a case in point；
for a letter has been omitted and the accent changed； the original meaning
being o anathron a opopenhe who looks up at what he sees。 Psuche may be
thought to be the reviving； or refreshing； or animating principlee
anapsuchousa to soma； but I am afraid that Euthyphro and his disciples will
scorn this derivation； and I must find another： shall we identify the soul
with the 'ordering mind' of Anaxagoras； and say that psuche； quasi phuseche
= e phusin echei or ochei？this might easily be refined into psyche。
'That is a more artistic etymology。'
After psuche follows soma； this； by a slight permutation； may be either =
（1） the 'grave' of the soul； or （2） may mean 'that by which the soul
signifies （semainei） her wishes。' But more probably； the word is Orphic；
and simply denotes that the body is the place of ward in which the soul
suffers the penalty of sin；en o sozetai。 'I should like to hear some
more explanations of the names of the Gods； like that excellent one of
Zeus。' The truest names of the Gods are those which they give themselves；
but these are unknown to us。 Less true are those by which we propitiate
them； as men say in prayers； 'May he graciously receive any name by which I
call him。' And to avoid offence； I should like to let them know beforehand
that we are not presuming to enquire about them； but only about the names
which they usually bear。 Let us begin with Hestia。 What did he mean who
gave the name Hestia？ 'That is a very difficult question。' O； my dear
Hermogenes； I believe that there was a power of philosophy and talk among
the first inventors of names； both in our own and in other languages； for
even in foreign words a principle is discernible。 Hestia is the same with
esia； which is an old form of ousia； and means the first principle of
things： this agrees with the fact that to Hestia the first sacrifices are
offered。 There is also another readingosia； which implies that 'pushing'
（othoun） is the first principle of all things。 And here I seem to discover
a delicate allusion to the flux of Heracleitusthat antediluvian
philosopher who cannot walk twice in the same stream； and this flux of his
may accomplish yet greater marvels。 For the names Cronos and Rhea cannot
have been accidental； the giver of them must have known something about the
doctrine of Heracleitus。 Moreover； there is a remarkable coincidence in
the words of Hesiod； when he speaks of Oceanus； 'the origin of Gods；' and
in the verse of Orpheus； in which he describes Oceanus espousing his sister
Tethys。 Tethys is nothing more than the name of a springto diattomenon
kai ethoumenon。 Poseidon is posidesmos； the chain of the feet； because you
cannot walk on the seathe epsilon is inserted by way of ornament； or
perhaps the name may have been originally polleidon； meaning； that the God
knew many things （polla eidos）： he may also be the shaker； apo tou
seiein；in this case； pi and delta have been added。 Pluto is connected
with ploutos； because wealth comes out of the earth； or the word may be a
euphemism for Hades； which is usually derived apo tou aeidous； because the
God is concerned with the invisible。 But the name Hades was really given
him from his knowing （eidenai） all good things。 Men in general are
foolishly afraid of him； and talk with horror of the world below from which
no one may return。 The reason why his subjects never wish to come back；
even if they could； is that the God enchains them by the strongest of
spells； namely by the desire of virtue； which they hope to obtain by
constant association with him。 He is the perfect and accomplished Sophist
and the great benefactor of the other world； for he has much more than he
wants there； and hence he is called Pluto or the rich。 He will have
nothing to do with the souls of men while in the body； because he cannot
work his will with them so long as they are confused and entangled by
fleshly lusts。 Demeter is the mother and giver of foode didousa meter
tes edodes。 Here is erate tis； or perhaps the legislator may have been
thinking of the weather； and has merely transposed the letters of the word
aer。 Pherephatta； that word of awe； is pheretapha； which is only an
euphonious contraction of e tou pheromenou ephaptomene；all things are in
motion； and she in her wisdom moves with them； and the wise God Hades
consorts with herthere is nothing very terrible in this； any more than in
the her other appellation Persephone； which is also significant of her
wisdom （sophe）。 Apollo is another name； which is supposed to have some
dreadful meaning； but is susceptible of at least four perfectly innocent
explanations。 First； he is the purifier or purger or absolver （apolouon）；
secondly； he is the true diviner； Aplos； as he is called in the Thessalian
dialect （aplos = aplous； sincere）； thirdly； he is the archer （aei ballon）；
always shooting； or again； supposing alpha to mean ama or omou； Apollo
becomes equivalent to ama polon； which points to both his musical and his
heavenly attributes； for there is a 'moving together' alike in music and in
the harmony of the spheres。 The second lambda is inserted in order to
avoid the ill…omened sound of destruction。 The Muses are so calledapo
tou mosthai。 The gentle Leto or Letho is named from her willingness
（ethelemon）； or because she is ready to forgive and forget （lethe）。
Artemis is so called from her healthy well…balanced nature； dia to artemes；
or as aretes istor； or as a lover of virginity； aroton misesasa。 One of
these explanations is probably true；perhaps all of them。 Dionysus is o
didous ton oinon； and oinos is quasi oionous because wine makes those think
（oiesthai） that they have a mind （nous） who have none。 The established
derivation of Aphrodite dia ten tou athrou genesin may be accepted on the
authority of Hesiod。 Again； there is the name of Pallas； or Athene； which
we； who are Athenians； must not forget。 Pallas is derived from armed
dancesapo tou pallein ta opla。 For Athene we must turn to the
allegorical interpreters of Homer； who make the name equivalent to theonoe；
or possibly the word was originally ethonoe and signified moral
intelligence （en ethei noesis）。 Hephaestus； again； is the lord of lighto
tou phaeos istor。 This is a good notion； and； to prevent any other getting
into our heads； let us go on to Ares。 He is the manly one （arren）； or the
unchangeable one （arratos）。 Enough of the Gods； for； by the Gods； I am
afraid of them； but if you suggest other words； you will see how the horses
of Euthyphro prance。 'Only one more God； tell me about my godfather
Hermes。' He is ermeneus； the messenger or cheater or thief or bargainer；
or o eirein momenos； that is； eiremes or ermesthe speaker or contriver of
speeche