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！
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 ages； he saw only what was at hand and immediate；
or in other words； pelas （near）； in his eagerness to win Hippodamia by
all means for his bride。 Every one would agree that the name of Tantalus
is rightly given and in accordance with nature； if the traditions about him
are true。
HERMOGENES： And what are the traditions？
SOCRATES： Many terrible misfortunes are said to have happened to him in
his lifelast of all； came the utter ruin of his country； and after his
death he had the stone suspended （talanteia） over his head in the world
belowall this agrees wonderfully well with his name。 You might imagine
that some person who wanted to call him Talantatos （the most weighted down
by misfortune）； disguised the name by altering it into Tantalus； and into
this form； by some accident of tradition； it has actually been transmuted。
The name of Zeus； who is his alleged father； has also an excellent meaning；
although hard to be understood； because really like a sentence； which is
divided into two parts； for some call him Zena； and use the one half； and
others who use the other half call him Dia； the two together signify the
nature of the God； and the business of a name； as we were saying； is to
express the nature。 For there is none who is more the author of life to us
and to all； than the lord and king of all。 Wherefore we are right in
calling him Zena and Dia； which are one name； although divided； meaning the
God through whom all creatures always have life （di on zen aei pasi tois
zosin uparchei）。 There is an irreverence； at first sight； in calling him
son of Cronos （who is a proverb for stupidity）； and we might rather expect
Zeus to be the child of a mighty intellect。 Which is the fact； for this is
the meaning of his father's name： Kronos quasi Koros （Choreo； to sweep）；
not in the sense of a youth； but signifying to chatharon chai acheraton tou
nou； the pure and garnished mind （sc。 apo tou chorein）。 He； as we are
informed by tradition； was begotten of Uranus； rightly so called （apo tou
oran ta ano） from looking upwards； which； as philosophers tell us； is the
way to have a pure mind； and the name Uranus is therefore correct。 If I
could remember the genealogy of Hesiod； I would have gone on and tried more
conclusions of the same sort on the remoter ancestors of the Gods；then I
might have seen whether this wisdom； which has come to me all in an
instant； I know not whence； will or will not hold good to the end。
HERMOGENES： You seem to me； Socrates； to be quite like a prophet newly
inspired； and to be uttering oracles。
SOCRATES： Yes； Hermogenes； and I believe that I caught the inspiration
from the great Euthyphro of the Prospaltian deme； who gave me a long
lecture which commenced at dawn： he talked and I listened； and his wisdom
and enchanting ravishment has not only filled my ears but taken possession
of my soul；and to…day I shall let his superhuman power work and finish the
investigation of namesthat will be the way； but to…morrow； if you are so
disposed； we will conjure him away； and make a purgation of him； if we can
only find some priest or sophist who is skilled in purifications of this
sort。
HERMOGENES： With all my heart； for am very curious to hear the rest of the
enquiry about names。
SOCRATES： Then let us proceed； and where would you have us begin； now that
we have got a sort of outline of the enquiry？ Are there any names which
witness of themselves that they are not given arbitrarily； but have a
natural fitness？ The names of heroes and of men in general are apt to be
deceptive because they are often called after ancestors with whose names；
as we were saying； they may have no business； or they are the expression of
a wish like Eutychides （the son of good fortune）； or Sosias （the Saviour）；
or Theophilus （the beloved of God）； and others。 But I think that we had
better leave these； for there will be more chance of finding correctness in
the names of immutable essences；there ought to have been more care taken
about them when they were named； and perhaps there may have been some more
than human power at work occasionally in giving them names。
HERMOGENES： I think so； Socrates。
SOCRATES： Ought we not to begin with the consideration of the Gods； and
show that they are rightly named Gods？
HERMOGENES： Yes； that will be well。
SOCRATES： My notion would be something of this sort：I suspect that the
sun； moon； earth； stars； and heaven； which are still the Gods of many
barbarians； were the only Gods known to the aboriginal Hellenes。 Seeing
that they were always moving and running； from their running nature they
were called Gods or runners （Theous； Theontas）； and when men became
acquainted with the other Gods； they proceeded to apply the same name to
them all。 Do you think that likely？
HERMOGENES： I think it very likely indeed。
SOCRATES： What shall follow