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fears to call the God Pluto instead。



HERMOGENES:  And what is the true derivation?



SOCRATES:  In spite of the mistakes which are made about the power of this

deity; and the foolish fears which people have of him; such as the fear of

always being with him after death; and of the soul denuded of the body

going to him (compare Rep。); my belief is that all is quite consistent; and

that the office and name of the God really correspond。



HERMOGENES:  Why; how is that?



SOCRATES:  I will tell you my own opinion; but first; I should like to ask

you which chain does any animal feel to be the stronger? and which confines

him more to the same spot;desire or necessity?



HERMOGENES:  Desire; Socrates; is stronger far。



SOCRATES:  And do you not think that many a one would escape from Hades; if

he did not bind those who depart to him by the strongest of chains?



HERMOGENES:  Assuredly they would。



SOCRATES:  And if by the greatest of chains; then by some desire; as I

should certainly infer; and not by necessity?



HERMOGENES:  That is clear。



SOCRATES:  And there are many desires?



HERMOGENES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  And therefore by the greatest desire; if the chain is to be the

greatest?



HERMOGENES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  And is any desire stronger than the thought that you will be

made better by associating with another?



HERMOGENES:  Certainly not。



SOCRATES:  And is not that the reason; Hermogenes; why no one; who has been

to him; is willing to come back to us?  Even the Sirens; like all the rest

of the world; have been laid under his spells。  Such a charm; as I imagine;

is the God able to infuse into his words。  And; according to this view; he

is the perfect and accomplished Sophist; and the great benefactor of the

inhabitants of the other world; and even to us who are upon earth he sends

from below exceeding blessings。  For he has much more than he wants down

there; wherefore he is called Pluto (or the rich)。  Note also; that he will

have nothing to do with men while they are in the body; but only when the

soul is liberated from the desires and evils of the body。  Now there is a

great deal of philosophy and reflection in that; for in their liberated

state he can bind them with the desire of virtue; but while they are

flustered and maddened by the body; not even father Cronos himself would

suffice to keep them with him in his own far…famed chains。



HERMOGENES:  There is a deal of truth in what you say。



SOCRATES:  Yes; Hermogenes; and the legislator called him Hades; not from

the unseen (aeides)far otherwise; but from his knowledge (eidenai) of all

noble things。



HERMOGENES:  Very good; and what do we say of Demeter; and Here; and

Apollo; and Athene; and Hephaestus; and Ares; and the other deities?



SOCRATES:  Demeter is e didousa meter; who gives food like a mother; Here

is the lovely one (erate)for Zeus; according to tradition; loved and

married her; possibly also the name may have been given when the legislator

was thinking of the heavens; and may be only a disguise of the air (aer);

putting the end in the place of the beginning。  You will recognize the

truth of this if you repeat the letters of Here several times over。  People

dread the name of Pherephatta as they dread the name of Apollo;and with

as little reason; the fear; if I am not mistaken; only arises from their

ignorance of the nature of names。  But they go changing the name into

Phersephone; and they are terrified at this; whereas the new name means

only that the Goddess is wise (sophe); for seeing that all things in the

world are in motion (pheromenon); that principle which embraces and touches

and is able to follow them; is wisdom。  And therefore the Goddess may be

truly called Pherepaphe (Pherepapha); or some name like it; because she

touches that which is in motion (tou pheromenon ephaptomene); herein

showing her wisdom。  And Hades; who is wise; consorts with her; because she

is wise。  They alter her name into Pherephatta now…a…days; because the

present generation care for euphony more than truth。  There is the other

name; Apollo; which; as I was saying; is generally supposed to have some

terrible signification。  Have you remarked this fact?



HERMOGENES:  To be sure I have; and what you say is true。



SOCRATES:  But the name; in my opinion; is really most expressive of the

power of the God。



HERMOGENES:  How so?



SOCRATES:  I will endeavour to explain; for I do not believe that any

single name could have been better adapted to express the attributes of the

God; embracing and in a manner signifying all four of them;music; and

prophecy; and medicine; and archery。



HERMOGENES:  That must be a strange name; and I should like to hear the

explanation。



SOCRATES:  Say rather an harmonious name; as beseems the God of Harmony。 

In the first place; the purgations and purifications which doctors and

diviners use; and their fumigations with drugs magical or medicinal; as

well as their washings and lustral sprinklings; have all one and the same

object; which is to make a man pure both in body and soul。



HERMOGENES:  Very true。



SOCRATES:  And is not Apollo the purifier; and the washer; and the absolver

from all impurities?



HERMOGENES:  Very true。



SOCRATES:  Then in reference to his ablutions and absolutions; as being the

physician who orders them; he may be rightly called Apolouon (purifier); or

in respect of his powers of divination; and his truth and sincerity; which

is the same as truth; he may be most fitly called Aplos; from aplous

(sincere); as in the Thessalian dialect; for all the Thessalians call him

Aplos; also he is aei Ballon (always shooting); because he is a master

archer who never misses; or again; the name may refer to his musical

attributes; and then; as in akolouthos; and akoitis; and in many other

words the alpha is supposed to mean 'together;' so the meaning of the name

Apollo will be 'moving together;' whether in the poles of heaven as they

are called; or in the harmony of song; which is termed concord; because he

moves all together by an harmonious power; as astronomers and musicians

ingeniously declare。  And he is the God who presides over harmony; and

makes all things move together; both among Gods and among men。  And as in

the words akolouthos and akoitis the alpha is substituted for an omicron;

so the name Apollon is equivalent to omopolon; only the second lambda is

added in order to avoid the ill…omened sound of destruction (apolon)。  Now

the suspicion of this destructive power still haunts the minds of some who

do not consider the true value of the name; which; as I was saying just

now; has reference to all the powers of the God; who is the single one; the

everdarting; the purifier; the mover together (aplous; aei Ballon;

apolouon; omopolon)。  The name of the Muses and of music would seem to be

derived from their making philosophical enquiries (mosthai); and Leto is

called by this name; because she is such a gentle Goddess; and so willing

(ethelemon) to grant our requests; or her name may be Letho; as she is

often called by strangersthey seem to imply by it her amiability; and her

smooth and easy…going way of behaving。  Artemis is named from her healthy

(artemes); well…ordered nature; and because of her love of virginity;

perhaps because she is a proficient in virtue (arete); and perhaps also as

hating intercourse of the sexes (ton aroton misesasa)。  He who gave the

Goddess her name may have had any or all of these reasons。



HERMOGENES:  What is the meaning of Dionysus and Aphrodite?



SOCRATES:  Son of Hipponicus; you ask a solemn question; there is a serious

and also a facetious explanation of both these names; the serious

explanation is not to be had from me; but there is no objection to your

hearing the facetious one; for the Gods too love a joke。  Dionusos is

simply didous oinon (giver of wine); Didoinusos; as he might be called in

fun;and oinos is properly oionous; because wine makes those who drink;

think (oiesthai) that they have a mind (noun) when they have none。  The

derivation of Aphrodite; born of the foam (aphros); may be fairly accepted

on the authority of Hesiod。



HERMOGENES:  Still there remains Athene; whom you; Socrates; as an

Athenian; will surely not forget; there are also Hephaestus and Ares。



SOCRATES:  I am not likely to forget them。



HERMOGENES:  No; indeed。



SOCRATES:  There is no difficulty in explaining the other appellation of

Athene。



HERMOGENES:  What other appellation?



SOCRATES:  We call her Pallas。



HERMOGENES:  To be sure。



SOCRATES:  And we cannot be wrong in supposing that this is derived from

armed dances。  For the elevation of oneself or anything else above the

earth; or by the use of the hands; we call shaking (pallein); or dancing。



HERMOGENES:  That is quite true。



SOCRATES:  Then that is the explan

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