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！
the class described。
Str。 Then now； Theaetetus； his art may be traced as a branch of
the appropriative； acquisitive family…which hunts
animals；…living…land…tame animals； which hunts man；…privately…for
hire；…taking money in exchange…having the semblance of education；
and this is termed Sophistry； and is a hunt after young men of
wealth and rank…such is the conclusion。
Theaet。 Just so。
Str。 Let us take another branch of his genealogy； for he is a
professor of a great and many sided art； and if we look back at what
has preceded we see that he presents another aspect； besides that of
which we are speaking。
Theaet。 In what respect？
Str。 There were two sorts of acquisitive art； the one
concerned with
hunting； the other with exchange。
Theaet。 There were。
Str。 And of the art of exchange there are two divisions； the one
of giving； and the other of selling。
Theaet。 Let us assume that。
Str。 Next； will suppose the art of selling to be divided into two
parts。
Theaet。 How？
Str。 There is one part which is distinguished as the sale
of a man's
own productions； another； which is the exchange of the works of
others。
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And is not that part of exchange which takes place in
the city；
being about half of the whole； termed retailing？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And that which exchanges the goods of one city for those of
another by selling and buying is the exchange of the merchant？
Theaet。 To be sure。
Str。 And you are aware that this exchange of the merchant is of
two kinds： it is partly concerned with food for the use of the body；
and partly with the food of the soul which is bartered and
received in
exchange for money。
Theaet。 What do you mean？
Str。 You want to know what is the meaning of food for the soul；
the other kind you surely understand。
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 Take music in general and painting and marionette playing and
many other things； which are purchased in one city； and carried away
and sold in another…wares of the soul which are hawked about either
for the sake of instruction or amusement；…may not he who takes them
about and sells them be quite as truly called a merchant as he who
sells meats and drinks？
Theaet。 To be sure he may。
Str。 And would you not call by the same name him who buys up
knowledge and goes about from city to city exchanging his wares for
money？
Theaet。 Certainly I should。
Str。 Of this merchandise of the soul； may not one part be fairly
termed the art of display？ And there is another part which is
certainly not less ridiculous； but being a trade in learning must be
called by some name germane to the matter？
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 The latter should have two names；…one descriptive of the sale
of the knowledge of virtue； and the other of the sale of other kinds
of knowledge。
Theaet。 Of course。
Str。 The name of art…seller corresponds well enough to the latter；
but you must try and tell me the name of the other。
Theaet。 He must be the Sophist； whom we are seeking； no other name
can possibly be right。
Str。 No other； and so this trader in virtue again turns out to be
our friend the Sophist； whose art may now be traced from the art of
acquisition through exchange； trade； merchandise； to a merchandise
of the soul which is concerned with speech and the knowledge of
virtue。
Theaet。 Quite true。
Str。 And there may be a third reappearance of him；…for he may have
settled down in a city； and may fabricate as well as buy these same
wares； intending to live by selling them； and he would still
be called
a Sophist？
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 Then that part of acquisitive art which exchanges； and of
exchange which either sells a man's own productions or retails those
of others； as the case may be； and in either way sells the knowledge
of virtue； you would again term Sophistry？
Theaet。 I must； if I am to keep pace with the argument。
Str。 Let us consider once more whether there may not be yet
another aspect of sophistry。
Theaet。 What is it？
Str。 In the acquisitive there was a subdivision of the combative
or fighting art。
Theaet。 There was。
Str。 Perhaps we had better divide it。
Theaet。 What shall be the divisions？
Str。 There shall be one division of the competitive； and another
of the pugnacious。
Theaet。 Very good。
Str。 That part of the pugnacious which is contest of
bodily strength
may be properly called by some such name as violent。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And when the war is one of words； it may be termed
controversy？
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And controversy may be of two kinds。
Theaet。 What are they？
Str。 When long speeches are answered by long speeches； and there
is public discussion about the just and unjust； that is forensic
controversy。
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 And there is a private sort of controversy； which is cut up
into questions and answers； and this is commonly called disputation？
Theaet。 Yes； that is the name。
Str。 And of disputation； that sort which is only a discussion
about contracts； and is carried on at random； and without rules…art；
is recognized by the reasoning faculty to be a distinct
class； but has
hitherto had no distinctive name； and does not deserve to receive
one from us。
Theaet。 No； for the different sorts of it are too minute and
heterogeneous。
Str。 But that which proceeds by rules of art to dispute about
justice and injustice in their own nature； and about things in
general； we have been accustomed to call argumentation （Eristic）？
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And of argumentation； one sort wastes money； and the other
makes money。
Theaet。 Very true。
Str。 Suppose we try and give to each of these two classes a name。
Theaet。 Let us do so。
Str。 I should say that the habit which leads a man to neglect his
own affairs for the pleasure of conversation； of which the style is
far from being agreeable to the majority of his hearers； may
be fairly
termed loquacity： such is my opinion。
Theaet。 That is the common name for it。
Str。 But now who the other is； who makes money out of private
disputation； it is your turn to say。
Theaet。 There is only one true answer： he is the wonderful
Sophist； of whom we are in pursuit； and who reappears again for the
fourth time。
Str。 Yes； and with a fresh pedigree； for he is the money…making
species of the Eristic； disputatious； controversial。 pugnacious；
combative； acquisitive family； as the argument has already proven。
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 How true was the observation that he was a many…sided animal；
and not to be caught with one hand； as they say！
Theaet。 Then you must catch him with two。
Str。 Yes； we must； if we can。 And therefore let us try； another
track in our pursuit of him： You are aware that there are certain
menial occupations which have names among servants？
Theaet。 Yes； there are many such； which of them do you mean？
Str。 I mean such as sifting； straining； winnowing； threshing。
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And besides these there are a great many more； such
as carding；
spinning； adjusting the warp and the woof； and thousands of similar
expressions are used in the arts。
Theaet。 Of what are they to be patterns； and what are we
going to do
with them all？
Str。 I think that in all of these there is implied a notion of
division。
Theaet。 Yes。
Str。 Then if； as I was saying； there is one art which includes all
of them； ought not that art to have one name？
Theaes。 And what is the name of the art？
Str。 The art of discerning or discriminating。
Theaet。 Very good。
Str。 Think whether you cannot divide this。
Theaet。 I should have to think a long while。
Str。 In all the previously named processes either like has been
separated from like or the better from the worse。
Theaet。 I see now what you mean。
Str； There is no name for the first kind of separation； of the
second； which throws away the worse and preserves the better； I do
know a name。
Theaet。 What is it？
Str。 Every discernment or discri