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第29节

cratylus-第29节

小说: cratylus 字数: 每页4000字

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HERMOGENES:  And what do you say of their opposites?



SOCRATES:  Of such as are mere negatives I hardly think that I need speak。



HERMOGENES:  Which are they?



SOCRATES:  The words axumphoron (inexpedient); anopheles (unprofitable);

alusiteles (unadvantageous); akerdes (ungainful)。



HERMOGENES:  True。



SOCRATES:  I would rather take the words blaberon (harmful); zemiodes

(hurtful)。



HERMOGENES:  Good。



SOCRATES:  The word blaberon is that which is said to hinder or harm

(blaptein) the stream (roun); blapton is boulomenon aptein (seeking to hold

or bind); for aptein is the same as dein; and dein is always a term of

censure; boulomenon aptein roun (wanting to bind the stream) would properly

be boulapteroun; and this; as I imagine; is improved into blaberon。



HERMOGENES:  You bring out curious results; Socrates; in the use of names;

and when I hear the word boulapteroun I cannot help imagining that you are

making your mouth into a flute; and puffing away at some prelude to Athene。



SOCRATES:  That is the fault of the makers of the name; Hermogenes; not

mine。



HERMOGENES:  Very true; but what is the derivation of zemiodes?



SOCRATES:  What is the meaning of zemiodes?let me remark; Hermogenes; how

right I was in saying that great changes are made in the meaning of words

by putting in and pulling out letters; even a very slight permutation will

sometimes give an entirely opposite sense; I may instance the word deon;

which occurs to me at the moment; and reminds me of what I was going to say

to you; that the fine fashionable language of modern times has twisted and

disguised and entirely altered the original meaning both of deon; and also

of zemiodes; which in the old language is clearly indicated。



HERMOGENES:  What do you mean?



SOCRATES:  I will try to explain。  You are aware that our forefathers loved

the sounds iota and delta; especially the women; who are most conservative

of the ancient language; but now they change iota into eta or epsilon; and

delta into zeta; this is supposed to increase the grandeur of the sound。



HERMOGENES:  How do you mean?



SOCRATES:  For example; in very ancient times they called the day either

imera or emera (short e); which is called by us emera (long e)。



HERMOGENES:  That is true。



SOCRATES:  Do you observe that only the ancient form shows the intention of

the giver of the name? of which the reason is; that men long for

(imeirousi) and love the light which comes after the darkness; and is

therefore called imera; from imeros; desire。



HERMOGENES:  Clearly。



SOCRATES:  But now the name is so travestied that you cannot tell the

meaning; although there are some who imagine the day to be called emera

because it makes things gentle (emera different accents)。



HERMOGENES:  Such is my view。



SOCRATES:  And do you know that the ancients said duogon and not zugon?



HERMOGENES:  They did so。



SOCRATES:  And zugon (yoke) has no meaning;it ought to be duogon; which

word expresses the binding of two together (duein agoge) for the purpose of

drawing;this has been changed into zugon; and there are many other

examples of similar changes。



HERMOGENES:  There are。



SOCRATES:  Proceeding in the same train of thought I may remark that the

word deon (obligation) has a meaning which is the opposite of all the other

appellations of good; for deon is here a species of good; and is;

nevertheless; the chain (desmos) or hinderer of motion; and therefore own

brother of blaberon。



HERMOGENES:  Yes; Socrates; that is quite plain。



SOCRATES:  Not if you restore the ancient form; which is more likely to be

the correct one; and read dion instead of deon; if you convert the epsilon

into an iota after the old fashion; this word will then agree with other

words meaning good; for dion; not deon; signifies the good; and is a term

of praise; and the author of names has not contradicted himself; but in all

these various appellations; deon (obligatory); ophelimon (advantageous);

lusiteloun (profitable); kerdaleon (gainful); agathon (good); sumpheron

(expedient); euporon (plenteous); the same conception is implied of the

ordering or all…pervading principle which is praised; and the restraining

and binding principle which is censured。  And this is further illustrated

by the word zemiodes (hurtful); which if the zeta is only changed into

delta as in the ancient language; becomes demiodes; and this name; as you

will perceive; is given to that which binds motion (dounti ion)。



HERMOGENES:  What do you say of edone (pleasure); lupe (pain); epithumia

(desire); and the like; Socrates?



SOCRATES:  I do not think; Hermogenes; that there is any great difficulty

about themedone is e (eta) onesis; the action which tends to advantage;

and the original form may be supposed to have been eone; but this has been

altered by the insertion of the delta。  Lupe appears to be derived from the

relaxation (luein) which the body feels when in sorrow; ania (trouble) is

the hindrance of motion (alpha and ienai); algedon (distress); if I am not

mistaken; is a foreign word; which is derived from aleinos (grievous);

odune (grief) is called from the putting on (endusis) sorrow; in achthedon

(vexation) 'the word too labours;' as any one may see; chara (joy) is the

very expression of the fluency and diffusion of the soul (cheo); terpsis

(delight) is so called from the pleasure creeping (erpon) through the soul;

which may be likened to a breath (pnoe) and is properly erpnoun; but has

been altered by time into terpnon; eupherosune (cheerfulness) and epithumia

explain themselves; the former; which ought to be eupherosune and has been

changed euphrosune; is named; as every one may see; from the soul moving

(pheresthai) in harmony with nature; epithumia is really e epi ton thumon

iousa dunamis; the power which enters into the soul; thumos (passion) is

called from the rushing (thuseos) and boiling of the soul; imeros (desire)

denotes the stream (rous) which most draws the soul dia ten esin tes roes

because flowing with desire (iemenos); and expresses a longing after things

and violent attraction of the soul to them; and is termed imeros from

possessing this power; pothos (longing) is expressive of the desire of that

which is not present but absent; and in another place (pou); this is the

reason why the name pothos is applied to things absent; as imeros is to

things present; eros (love) is so called because flowing in (esron) from

without; the stream is not inherent; but is an influence introduced through

the eyes; and from flowing in was called esros (influx) in the old time

when they used omicron for omega; and is called eros; now that omega is

substituted for omicron。  But why do you not give me another word?



HERMOGENES:  What do you think of doxa (opinion); and that class of words?



SOCRATES:  Doxa is either derived from dioxis (pursuit); and expresses the

march of the soul in the pursuit of knowledge; or from the shooting of a

bow (toxon); the latter is more likely; and is confirmed by oiesis

(thinking); which is only oisis (moving); and implies the movement of the

soul to the essential nature of each thingjust as boule (counsel) has to

do with shooting (bole); and boulesthai (to wish) combines the notion of

aiming and deliberatingall these words seem to follow doxa; and all

involve the idea of shooting; just as aboulia; absence of counsel; on the

other hand; is a mishap; or missing; or mistaking of the mark; or aim; or

proposal; or object。



HERMOGENES:  You are quickening your pace now; Socrates。



SOCRATES:  Why yes; the end I now dedicate to God; not; however; until I

have explained anagke (necessity); which ought to come next; and ekousion

(the voluntary)。  Ekousion is certainly the yielding (eikon) and

unresistingthe notion implied is yielding and not opposing; yielding; as

I was just now saying; to that motion which is in accordance with our will;

but the necessary and resistant being contrary to our will; implies error

and ignorance; the idea is taken from walking through a ravine which is

impassable; and rugged; and overgrown; and impedes motionand this is the

derivation of the word anagkaion (necessary) an agke ion; going through a

ravine。  But while my strength lasts let us persevere; and I hope that you

will persevere with your questions。



HERMOGENES:  Well; then; let me ask about the greatest and noblest; such as

aletheia (truth) and pseudos (falsehood) and on (being); not forgetting to

enquire why the word onoma (name); which is the theme of our discussion;

has this name of onoma。



SOCRATES:  You know the word maiesthai (to seek)?



HERMOGENES:  Yes;meaning the same as zetein (to enquire)。



SOCRATES:  The word onoma seems to be a compressed sentence; signifying on

ou zetema (being for which there is a search); as is still more obvious in

onomaston (notable); which s

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