按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
or o eirein momenos； that is； eiremes or ermesthe speaker or contriver of
speeches。 'Well said Cratylus； then； that I am no son of Hermes。' Pan； as
the son of Hermes； is speech or the brother of speech； and is called Pan
because speech indicates everythingo pan menuon。 He has two forms； a
true and a false； and is in the upper part smooth； and in the lower part
shaggy。 He is the goat of Tragedy； in which there are plenty of
falsehoods。
'Will you go on to the elementssun； moon； stars； earth； aether； air；
fire； water； seasons； years？' Very good： and which shall I take first？
Let us begin with elios； or the sun。 The Doric form elios helps us to see
that he is so called because at his rising he gathers （alizei） men
together； or because he rolls about （eilei） the earth； or because he
variegates （aiolei = poikillei） the earth。 Selene is an anticipation of
Anaxagoras； being a contraction of selaenoneoaeia； the light （selas） which
is ever old and new； and which； as Anaxagoras says； is borrowed from the
sun； the name was harmonized into selanaia； a form which is still in use。
'That is a true dithyrambic name。' Meis is so called apo tou meiousthai；
from suffering diminution； and astron is from astrape （lightning）； which is
an improvement of anastrope； that which turns the eyes inside out。 'How do
you explain pur n udor？' I suspect that pur； which； like udor n kuon； is
found in Phrygian； is a foreign word； for the Hellenes have borrowed much
from the barbarians； and I always resort to this theory of a foreign origin
when I am at a loss。 Aer may be explained； oti airei ta apo tes ges； or；
oti aei rei； or； oti pneuma ex autou ginetai （compare the poetic word
aetai）。 So aither quasi aeitheer oti aei thei peri ton aera： ge； gaia
quasi genneteira （compare the Homeric form gegaasi）； ora （with an omega）；
or； according to the old Attic form ora （with an omicron）； is derived apo
tou orizein； because it divides the year； eniautos and etos are the same
thoughto en eauto etazon； cut into two parts； en eauto and etazon； like
di on ze into Dios and Zenos。
'You make surprising progress。' True； I am run away with； and am not even
yet at my utmost speed。 'I should like very much to hear your account of
the virtues。 What principle of correctness is there in those charming
words； wisdom； understanding； justice； and the rest？' To explain all that
will be a serious business； still； as I have put on the lion's skin；
appearances must be maintained。 My opinion is； that primitive men were
like some modern philosophers； who； by always going round in their search
after the nature of things； become dizzy； and this phenomenon； which was
really in themselves； they imagined to take place in the external world。
You have no doubt remarked； that the doctrine of the universal flux； or
generation of things； is indicated in names。 'No； I never did。' Phronesis
is only phoras kai rou noesis； or perhaps phoras onesis； and in any case is
connected with pheresthai； gnome is gones skepsis kai nomesis； noesis is
neou or gignomenon esis； the word neos implies that creation is always
going onthe original form was neoesis； sophrosune is soteria phroneseos；
episteme is e epomene tois pragmasinthe faculty which keeps close；
neither anticipating nor lagging behind； sunesis is equivalent to sunienai；
sumporeuesthai ten psuche； and is a kind of conclusionsullogismos tis；
akin therefore in idea to episteme； sophia is very difficult； and has a
foreign lookthe meaning is； touching the motion or stream of things； and
may be illustrated by the poetical esuthe and the Lacedaemonian proper name
Sous； or Rush； agathon is ro agaston en te tachuteti；for all things are
in motion； and some are swifter than others： dikaiosune is clearly e tou
dikaiou sunesis。 The word dikaion is more troublesome； and appears to mean
the subtle penetrating power which； as the lovers of motion say； preserves
all things； and is the cause of all things； quasi diaion going throughthe
letter kappa being inserted for the sake of euphony。 This is a great
mystery which has been confided to me； but when I ask for an explanation I
am thought obtrusive； and another derivation is proposed to me。 Justice is
said to be o kaion； or the sun； and when I joyfully repeat this beautiful
notion； I am answered； 'What； is there no justice when the sun is down？'
And when I entreat my questioner to tell me his own opinion； he replies；
that justice is fire in the abstract； or heat in the abstract； which is not
very intelligible。 Others laugh at such notions； and say with Anaxagoras；
that justice is the ordering mind。 'I think that some one must have told
you this。' And not the rest？ Let me proceed then； in the hope of proving
to you my originality。 Andreia is quasi anpeia quasi e ano roe； the stream
which flows upwards； and is opposed to injustice； which clearly hinders the
principle of penetration； arren and aner have a similar derivation； gune is
the same as gone； thelu is derived apo tes theles； because the teat makes
things flourish （tethelenai）； and the word thallein itself implies increase
of youth； which is swift and sudden ever （thein and allesthai）。 I am
getting over the ground fast： but much has still to be explained。 There
is techne； for instance。 This； by an aphaeresis of tau and an epenthesis
of omicron in two places； may be identified with echonoe； and signifies
'that which has mind。'
'A very poor etymology。' Yes； but you must remember that all language is
in process of change； letters are taken in and put out for the sake of
euphony； and time is also a great alterer of words。 For example； what
business has the letter rho in the word katoptron； or the letter sigma in
the word sphigx？ The additions are often such that it is impossible to
make out the original word； and yet； if you may put in and pull out； as you
like； any name is equally good for any object。 The fact is； that great
dictators of literature like yourself should observe the rules of
moderation。 'I will do my best。' But do not be too much of a precisian；
or you will paralyze me。 If you will let me add mechane； apo tou mekous；
which means polu； and anein； I shall be at the summit of my powers； from
which elevation I will examine the two words kakia and arete。 The first is
easily explained in accordance with what has preceded； for all things being
in a flux； kakia is to kakos ion。 This derivation is illustrated by the
word deilia； which ought to have come after andreia； and may be regarded as
o lian desmos tes psuches； just as aporia signifies an impediment to motion
（from alpha not； and poreuesthai to go）； and arete is euporia； which is the
opposite of thisthe everflowing （aei reousa or aeireite）； or the
eligible； quasi airete。 You will think that I am inventing； but I say that
if kakia is right； then arete is also right。 But what is kakon？ That is a
very obscure word； to which I can only apply my old notion and declare that
kakon is a foreign word。 Next； let us proceed to kalon； aischron。 The
latter is doubtless contracted from aeischoroun； quasi aei ischon roun。
The inventor of words being a patron of the flux； was a great enemy to
stagnation。 Kalon is to kaloun ta pragmatathis is mind （nous or
dianoia）； which is also the principle of beauty； and which doing the works
of beauty； is therefore rightly called the beautiful。 The meaning of
sumpheron is explained by previous examples；like episteme； signifying
that the soul moves in harmony with the world （sumphora； sumpheronta）。
Kerdos is to pasi kerannumenonthat which mingles with all things：
lusiteloun is equivalent to to tes phoras luon to telos； and is not to be
taken in the vulgar sense of gainful； but rather in that of swift； being
the principle which makes motion immortal and unceasing； ophelimon is apo
tou ophelleinthat which gives increase： this word； which is Homeric； is
of foreign origin。 Blaberon is to blamton or boulomenon aptein tou rou
that which injures or seeks to bind the stream。 The proper word would be
boulapteroun； but this is too much of a mouthfullike a prelude on the
flute in honour of Athene。 The word zemiodes is difficult； great changes；
as I was saying； have been made in words； and even a small change will
alter their meaning very much。 The word deon is one of these disguised
words。 You know that according to the old pronunciation； which is
especially affected by the women； who are great conservatives； iota and
delta were used where we should now use eta and zeta： for example； what we
now call emera was formerly called imera； and this shows the meaning of the
word to have been 'the desired one coming after night；' and not； as is
often supposed； 'that which makes things gentle' （emera）。 So again； zugon
is duogon； quasi desis duein eis agogen（the binding of two together for
the purpose of drawing。 Deon； as ordinarily written； has an evil sense；
signifying the chain （d