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！
you like you
may say that there are no tame animals； or that； if there are； man
is not among them； or you may say that man is a tame animal
but is not
hunted…you shall decide which of these alternatives you prefer。
Theaet。 I should say； Stranger； that man is a tame animal； and I
admit that he is hunted。
Str。 Then let us divide the hunting of tame animals into two parts。
Theaet。 How shall we make the division？
Str。 Let us define piracy； man…stealing； tyranny； the
whole military
art； by one name； as hunting with violence。
Theaet。 Very good。
Str。 But the art of the lawyer； of the popular orator； and the art
of conversation may be called in one word the art of persuasion。
Theaet。 True。
Str。 And of persuasion； there may be said to be two kinds？
Theaet。 What are they？
Str。 One is private； and the other public。
Theaet。 Yes； each of them forms a class。
Str。 And of private hunting； one sort receives hire； and the other
brings gifts。
Theaet。 I do not understand you。
Str。 You seem never to have observed the manner in which lovers
hunt。
Theaet。 To what do you refer？
Str。 I mean that they lavish gifts on those whom they hunt in
addition to other inducements。
Theaet。 Most true。
Str。 Let us admit this； then； to be the amatory art。
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 But that sort of hireling whose conversation is pleasing and
who baits his hook only with pleasure and exacts nothing but his
maintenance in return； we should all； if I am not mistaken； describe
as possessing flattery or an art of making things pleasant。
Theaet。 Certainly。
Str。 And that sort； which professes to form acquaintances only for
the sake of virtue； and demands a reward in the shape of
money； may be
fairly called by another name？
Theaet。 To be sure。
Str。 And what is the name？ Will you tell me？
Theaet。 It is obvious enough； for I believe that we have
discovered the Sophist： which is； as I conceive； the proper name for
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 r