cratylus-第22节
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'Whom；' as he says； 'the Gods call Xanthus； and men call Scamander。'
HERMOGENES： I remember。
SOCRATES： Well； and about this riverto know that he ought to be called
Xanthus and not Scamanderis not that a solemn lesson？ Or about the bird
which； as he says；
'The Gods call Chalcis； and men Cymindis：'
to be taught how much more correct the name Chalcis is than the name
Cymindisdo you deem that a light matter？ Or about Batieia and Myrina？
（Compare Il。 'The hill which men call Batieia and the immortals the tomb of
the sportive Myrina。'） And there are many other observations of the same
kind in Homer and other poets。 Now； I think that this is beyond the
understanding of you and me； but the names of Scamandrius and Astyanax；
which he affirms to have been the names of Hector's son； are more within
the range of human faculties； as I am disposed to think； and what the poet
means by correctness may be more readily apprehended in that instance： you
will remember I dare say the lines to which I refer？ （Il。）
HERMOGENES： I do。
SOCRATES： Let me ask you； then； which did Homer think the more correct of
the names given to Hector's sonAstyanax or Scamandrius？
HERMOGENES： I do not know。
SOCRATES： How would you answer； if you were asked whether the wise or the
unwise are more likely to give correct names？
HERMOGENES： I should say the wise； of course。
SOCRATES： And are the men or the women of a city； taken as a class； the
wiser？
HERMOGENES： I should say； the men。
SOCRATES： And Homer； as you know； says that the Trojan men called him
Astyanax （king of the city）； but if the men called him Astyanax； the other
name of Scamandrius could only have been given to him by the women。
HERMOGENES： That may be inferred。
SOCRATES： And must not Homer have imagined the Trojans to be wiser than
their wives？
HERMOGENES： To be sure。
SOCRATES： Then he must have thought Astyanax to be a more correct name for
the boy than Scamandrius？
HERMOGENES： Clearly。
SOCRATES： And what is the reason of this？ Let us consider：does he not
himself suggest a very good reason； when he says；
'For he alone defended their city and long walls'？
This appears to be a good reason for calling the son of the saviour king of
the city which his father was saving； as Homer observes。
HERMOGENES： I see。
SOCRATES： Why； Hermogenes； I do not as yet see myself； and do you？
HERMOGENES： No； indeed； not I。
SOCRATES： But tell me； friend； did not Homer himself also give Hector his
name？
HERMOGENES： What of that？
SOCRATES： The name appears to me to be very nearly the same as the name of
Astyanaxboth are Hellenic； and a king （anax） and a holder （ektor） have
nearly the same meaning； and are both descriptive of a king； for a man is
clearly the holder of that of which he is king； he rules； and owns； and
holds it。 But； perhaps； you may think that I am talking nonsense； and
indeed I believe that I myself did not know what I meant when I imagined
that I had found some indication of the opinion of Homer about the
correctness of names。
HERMOGENES： I assure you that I think otherwise； and I believe you to be
on the right track。
SOCRATES： There is reason； I think； in calling the lion's whelp a lion；
and the foal of a horse a horse； I am speaking only of the ordinary course
of nature； when an animal produces after his kind； and not of extraordinary
births；if contrary to nature a horse have a calf； then I should not call
that a foal but a calf； nor do I call any inhuman birth a man； but only a
natural birth。 And the same may be said of trees and other things。 Do you
agree with me？
HERMOGENES： Yes； I agree。
SOCRATES： Very good。 But you had better watch me and see that I do not
play tricks with you。 For on the same principle the son of a king is to be
called a king。 And whether the syllables of the name are the same or not
the same； makes no difference； provided the meaning is retained； nor does
the addition or subtraction of a letter make any difference so long as the
essence of the thing remains in possession of the name and appears in it。
HERMOGENES： What do you mean？
SOCRATES： A very simple matter。 I may illustrate my meaning by the names
of letters； which you know are not the same as the letters themselves with
the exception of the four epsilon； upsilon； omicron； omega； the names of
the rest； whether vowels or consonants； are made up of other letters which
we add to them； but so long as we introduce the meaning； and there can be
no mistake； the name of the letter is quite correct。 Take； for example；
the letter betathe addition of eta； tau； alpha； gives no offence； and
does not prevent the whole name from having the value which the legislator
intendedso well did he know how to give the letters names。
HERMOGENES： I believe you are right。
SOCRATES： And may not the same be said of a king？ a king will often be the
son of a king； the good son or the noble son of a good or noble sire； and
similarly the offspring of every kind； in the regular course of nature； is
like the parent； and therefore has the same name。 Yet the syllables may be
disguised until they appear different to the ignorant person； and he may
not recognize them； although they are the same； just as any one of us would
not recognize the same drugs under different disguises of colour and smell；
although to the physician； who regards the power of them； they are the
same； and he is not put out by the addition； and in like manner the
etymologist is not put out by the addition or transposition or subtraction
of a letter or two； or indeed by the change of all the letters； for this
need not interfere with the meaning。 As was just now said； the names of
Hector and Astyanax have only one letter alike； which is tau； and yet they
have the same meaning。 And how little in common with the letters of their
names has Archepolis （ruler of the city）and yet the meaning is the same。
And there are many other names which just mean 'king。' Again； there are
several names for a general； as； for example； Agis （leader） and Polemarchus
（chief in war） and Eupolemus （good warrior）； and others which denote a
physician； as Iatrocles （famous healer） and Acesimbrotus （curer of
mortals）； and there are many others which might be cited； differing in
their syllables and letters； but having the same meaning。 Would you not
say so？
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： The same names； then； ought to be assigned to those who follow
in the course of nature？
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And what of those who follow out of the course of nature； and
are prodigies？ for example； when a good and religious man has an
irreligious son； he ought to bear the name not of his father； but of the
class to which he belongs； just as in the case which was before supposed of
a horse foaling a calf。
HERMOGENES： Quite true。
SOCRATES： Then the irreligious son of a religious father should be called
irreligious？
HERMOGENES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： He should not be called Theophilus （beloved of God） or
Mnesitheus （mindful of God）； or any of these names： if names are correctly
given； his should have an opposite meaning。
HERMOGENES： Certainly； Socrates。
SOCRATES： Again； Hermogenes； there is Orestes （the man of the mountains）
who appears to be rightly called； whether chance gave the name； or perhaps
some poet who meant to express the brutality and fierceness and mountain
wildness of his hero's nature。
HERMOGENES： That is very likely； Socrates。
SOCRATES： And his father's name is also according to nature。
HERMOGENES： Clearly。
SOCRATES： Yes； for as his name； so also is his nature； Agamemnon
（admirable for remaining） is one who is patient and persevering in the
accomplishment of his resolves； and by his virtue crowns them； and his
continuance at Troy with all the vast army is a proof of that admirable
endurance in him which is signified by the name Agamemnon。 I also think
that Atreus is rightly called； for his murder of Chrysippus and his
exceeding cruelty to Thyestes are damaging and destructive to his
reputationthe name is a little altered and disguised so as not to be
intelligible to every one； but to the etymologist there is no difficulty in
seeing the meaning； for whether you think of him as ateires the stubborn；
or as atrestos the fearless； or as ateros the destructive one； the name is
perfectly correct in every point of view。 And I think that Pelops is also
named appropriately； for； as the name implies； he is rightly called Pelops
who sees what is near only （o ta pelas oron）。
HERMOGENES： How so？
SOCRATES： Because； according to the tradition； he had no forethought or
foresight of all the evil which the murder of Myrtilus would entail upon
his whole race in remote age
