cratylus-第35节

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clearer　way；　to　learn　of　the　image；　whether　the　image　and　the　truth　of

which　the　image　is　the　expression　have　been　rightly　conceived；　or　to　learn

of　the　truth　whether　the　truth　and　the　image　of　it　have　been　duly　executed？



CRATYLUS：　　I　should　say　that　we　must　learn　of　the　truth。



SOCRATES：　　How　real　existence　is　to　be　studied　or　discovered　is；　I　suspect；

beyond　you　and　me。　　But　we　may　admit　so　much；　that　the　knowledge　of　things

is　not　to　be　derived　from　names。　　No；　they　must　be　studied　and　investigated

in　themselves。



CRATYLUS：　　Clearly；　Socrates。



SOCRATES：　　There　is　another　point。　　I　should　not　like　us　to　be　imposed　upon

by　the　appearance　of　such　a　multitude　of　names；　all　tending　in　the　same

direction。　　I　myself　do　not　deny　that　the　givers　of　names　did　really　give

them　under　the　idea　that　all　things　were　in　motion　and　flux；　which　was

their　sincere　but；　I　think；　mistaken　opinion。　　And　having　fallen　into　a

kind　of　whirlpool　themselves；　they　are　carried　round；　and　want　to　drag　us

in　after　them。　　There　is　a　matter；　master　Cratylus；　about　which　I　often

dream；　and　should　like　to　ask　your　opinion：　　Tell　me；　whether　there　is　or

is　not　any　absolute　beauty　or　good；　or　any　other　absolute　existence？



CRATYLUS：　　Certainly；　Socrates；　I　think　so。



SOCRATES：　　Then　let　us　seek　the　true　beauty：　　not　asking　whether　a　face　is

fair；　or　anything　of　that　sort；　for　all　such　things　appear　to　be　in　a　flux；

but　let　us　ask　whether　the　true　beauty　is　not　always　beautiful。



CRATYLUS：　　Certainly。



SOCRATES：　　And　can　we　rightly　speak　of　a　beauty　which　is　always　passing

away；　and　is　first　this　and　then　that；　must　not　the　same　thing　be　born　and

retire　and　vanish　while　the　word　is　in　our　mouths？



CRATYLUS：　　Undoubtedly。



SOCRATES：　　Then　how　can　that　be　a　real　thing　which　is　never　in　the　same

state？　for　obviously　things　which　are　the　same　cannot　change　while　they

remain　the　same；　and　if　they　are　always　the　same　and　in　the　same　state；　and

never　depart　from　their　original　form；　they　can　never　change　or　be　moved。



CRATYLUS：　　Certainly　they　cannot。



SOCRATES：　　Nor　yet　can　they　be　known　by　any　one；　for　at　the　moment　that　the

observer　approaches；　then　they　become　other　and　of　another　nature；　so　that

you　cannot　get　any　further　in　knowing　their　nature　or　state；　for　you　cannot

know　that　which　has　no　state。



CRATYLUS：　　True。



SOCRATES：　　Nor　can　we　reasonably　say；　Cratylus；　that　there　is　knowledge　at

all；　if　everything　is　in　a　state　of　transition　and　there　is　nothing

abiding；　for　knowledge　too　cannot　continue　to　be　knowledge　unless

continuing　always　to　abide　and　exist。　　But　if　the　very　nature　of　knowledge

changes；　at　the　time　when　the　change　occurs　there　will　be　no　knowledge；　and

if　the　transition　is　always　going　on；　there　will　always　be　no　knowledge；

and；　according　to　this　view；　there　will　be　no　one　to　know　and　nothing　to　be

known：　　but　if　that　which　knows　and　that　which　is　known　exists　ever；　and

the　beautiful　and　the　good　and　every　other　thing　also　exist；　then　I　do　not

think　that　they　can　resemble　a　process　or　flux；　as　we　were　just　now

supposing。　　Whether　there　is　this　eternal　nature　in　things；　or　whether　the

truth　is　what　Heracleitus　and　his　followers　and　many　others　say；　is　a

question　hard　to　determine；　and　no　man　of　sense　will　like　to　put　himself　or

the　education　of　his　mind　in　the　power　of　names：　　neither　will　he　so　far

trust　names　or　the　givers　of　names　as　to　be　confident　in　any　knowledge

which　condemns　himself　and　other　existences　to　an　unhealthy　state　of

unreality；　he　will　not　believe　that　all　things　leak　like　a　pot；　or　imagine

that　the　world　is　a　man　who　has　a　running　at　the　nose。　　This　may　be　true；

Cratylus；　but　is　also　very　likely　to　be　untrue；　and　therefore　I　would　not

have　you　be　too　easily　persuaded　of　it。　　Reflect　well　and　like　a　man；　and

do　not　easily　accept　such　a　doctrine；　for　you　are　young　and　of　an　age　to

learn。　　And　when　you　have　found　the　truth；　come　and　tell　me。



CRATYLUS：　　I　will　do　as　you　say；　though　I　can　assure　you；　Socrates；　that　I

have　been　considering　the　matter　already；　and　the　result　of　a　great　deal　of

trouble　and　consideration　is　that　I　incline　to　Heracleitus。



SOCRATES：　　Then；　another　day；　my　friend；　when　you　come　back；　you　shall　give

me　a　lesson；　but　at　present；　go　into　the　country；　as　you　are　intending；　and

Hermogenes　shall　set　you　on　your　way。



CRATYLUS：　　Very　good；　Socrates；　I　hope；　however；　that　you　will　continue　to

think　about　these　things　yourself。









End