Dialogues

is like rain, and makes things flourish (τεθηλέναι). Hermogenes That is surely probable. Socrates Yes; and the very word θάλλειν (to flourish) seems to figure the growth of youth, which is swift and sudden ever. And this is expressed by the legislator in the name, which is a compound of θεῖν (running), and ἅλλεσθαι (leaping). Pray observe how I gallop away when I get on smooth ground. There are a good many names generally thought to be of importance, which have still to be explained. Hermogenes True. Socrates There is the meaning of the word τέχνη (art), for example. Hermogenes Very true. Socrates That may be identified with ἐχονόη, and expresses the possession of mind: you have only to take away the τ and insert two ο’s, one between the χ and ν, and another between the ν and η. Hermogenes That is a very shabby etymology. Socrates Yes, my dear friend; but then you know that the original names have been long ago buried and disguised by people sticking on and stripping off letters for the sake of euphony, and twisting and bedizening them in all sorts of ways: and time too may have had a share in the change. Take, for example, the word κάτοπτρον; why is the letter ρ inserted? This must surely be the addition of someone who cares nothing about the truth, but thinks only of putting the mouth into shape. And the additions are often such that at last no human being can possibly make out the original meaning of the word. Another example is the word σφὶγξ, σφιγγὸς, which ought properly to be φὶγξ, φιγγὸς, and there are other examples. Hermogenes That is quite true, Socrates. Socrates And yet, if you are permitted to put in and pull out any letters which you please, names will be too easily made, and any name may be adapted to any object. Hermogenes True. Socrates Yes, that is true. And therefore a wise dictator, like yourself, should observe the laws of moderation and probability. Hermogenes Such is my desire. Socrates And mine, too, Hermogenes. But do not be too much of a precisian, or “you will unnerve me of my strength.”39 When you have allowed me to add μηχανὴ (contrivance) to τέχνη (art) I shall be at the top of my bent, for I conceive μηχανὴ to be a sign of great accomplishment⁠—ἄνειν; for μῆκος has the meaning of greatness, and these two, μῆκος and ἄνειν, make up the word μηχανὴ. But, as I was saying, being now at the top of my bent, I should like to consider the meaning of the two words ἀρετὴ (virtue) and κακία (vice); ἀρετὴ I do not as yet understand, but κακία is transparent, and agrees with the principles which preceded, for all things being in a flux (ἰόντων), κακία is κακῶς ἰὸν (going badly); and this evil motion when existing in the soul has the general name of κακία, or vice, specially appropriated to it. The meaning of κακῶς ἰέναι may be further illustrated by the use of δειλία (cowardice), which ought to have come after ἀνδρεία, but was forgotten, and, as I fear, is not the only word which has been passed over. Δειλία signifies that the soul is bound with a strong chain (δεσμὸς), for λίαν means strength, and therefore δειλία expresses the greatest and strongest bond of the soul; and ἀπορία (difficulty) is an evil of the same nature (from α not, and πορεύεσθαι to go), like anything else which is an impediment to motion and movement. Then the word κακία appears to mean κακῶς ἰέναι, or going badly, or limping and halting; of which the consequence is, that the soul becomes filled with vice. And if κακία is the name of this sort of thing, ἀρετὴ will be the opposite of it, signifying in the first place ease of motion, then that the stream of the good soul is unimpeded, and has therefore the attribute of ever flowing without let or hindrance, and is therefore called ἀρετὴ, or, more correctly, ἀειρειτὴ (ever-flowing), and may perhaps have had another form, αἱρετὴ (eligible), indicating that nothing is more eligible than virtue, and this has been hammered into ἀρετὴ. I daresay that you will deem this to be another invention of mine, but I think that if the previous word κακία was right, then ἀρετὴ is also right. Hermogenes But what is the meaning of κακὸν, which has played so great a part in your previous discourse? Socrates That is a very singular word about which I can hardly form an opinion, and therefore I must have recourse to my ingenious device. Hermogenes What device? Socrates The device of a foreign origin, which I shall give to this word also. Hermogenes Very likely you are right; but suppose that we leave these words and endeavour to see the rationale of καλὸν and αἰσχρόν. Socrates The meaning of αἰσχρόν is evident, being only ἀεὶ ἴσχον ῥοῆς (always preventing from flowing), and this is in accordance with our former derivations. For the name-giver was a great enemy to stagnation of all sorts, and hence he gave the name ἀεισχοροῦν to that which hindered the flux (ἀεὶ ἴσχον ῥοῦν), and that is now beaten together into αἰσχρόν. Hermogenes But what do you say of