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'dithyrambics of the Phaedrus。' They are mysteries of which he is
speaking； and he professes a kind of ludicrous fear of his imaginary
wisdom。 When he is arguing out of Homer； about the names of Hector's son；
or when he describes himself as inspired or maddened by Euthyphro； with
whom he has been sitting from the early dawn （compare Phaedrus and Lysias；
Phaedr。） and expresses his intention of yielding to the illusion to…day；
and to…morrow he will go to a priest and be purified； we easily see that
his words are not to be taken seriously。 In this part of the dialogue his
dread of committing impiety； the pretended derivation of his wisdom from
another； the extravagance of some of his etymologies； and； in general； the
manner in which the fun； fast and furious； vires acquirit eundo； remind us
strongly of the Phaedrus。 The jest is a long one； extending over more than
half the dialogue。 But then； we remember that the Euthydemus is a still
longer jest； in which the irony is preserved to the very end。 There he is
parodying the ingenious follies of early logic； in the Cratylus he is
ridiculing the fancies of a new school of sophists and grammarians。 The
fallacies of the Euthydemus are still retained at the end of our logic
books； and the etymologies of the Cratylus have also found their way into
later writers。 Some of these are not much worse than the conjectures of
Hemsterhuis； and other critics of the last century； but this does not prove
that they are serious。 For Plato is in advance of his age in his
conception of language； as much as he is in his conception of mythology。
（Compare Phaedrus。）
When the fervour of his etymological enthusiasm has abated； Socrates ends；
as he has begun； with a rational explanation of language。 Still he
preserves his 'know nothing' disguise； and himself declares his first
notions about names to be reckless and ridiculous。 Having explained
compound words by resolving them into their original elements； he now
proceeds to analyse simple words into the letters of which they are
composed。 The Socrates who 'knows nothing；' here passes into the teacher；
the dialectician； the arranger of species。 There is nothing in this part
of the dialogue which is either weak or extravagant。 Plato is a supporter
of the Onomatopoetic theory of language； that is to say； he supposes words
to be formed by the imitation of ideas in sounds； he also recognises the
effect of time； the influence of foreign languages； the desire of euphony；
to be formative principles； and he admits a certain element of chance。 But
he gives no imitation in all this that he is preparing the way for the
construction of an ideal language。 Or that he has any Eleatic speculation
to oppose to the Heracleiteanism of Cratylus。
The theory of language which is propounded in the Cratylus is in accordance
with the later phase of the philosophy of Plato； and would have been
regarded by him as in the main true。 The dialogue is also a satire on the
philological fancies of the day。 Socrates in pursuit of his vocation as a
detector of false knowledge； lights by accident on the truth。 He is
guessing； he is dreaming； he has heard； as he says in the Phaedrus； from
another： no one is more surprised than himself at his own discoveries。
And yet some of his best remarks； as for example his view of the derivation
of Greek words from other languages； or of the permutations of letters； or
again； his observation that in speaking of the Gods we are only speaking of
our names of them； occur among these flights of humour。
We can imagine a character having a profound insight into the nature of men
and things； and yet hardly dwelling upon them seriously； blending
inextricably sense and nonsense； sometimes enveloping in a blaze of jests
the most serious matters； and then again allowing the truth to peer
through； enjoying the flow of his own humour； and puzzling mankind by an
ironical exaggeration of their absurdities。 Such were Aristophanes and
Rabelais； such； in a different style； were Sterne； Jean Paul； Hamann；
writers who sometimes become unintelligible through the extravagance of
their fancies。 Such is the character which Plato intends to depict in some
of his dialogues as the Silenus Socrates； and through this medium we have
to receive our theory of language。
There remains a difficulty which seems to demand a more exact answer： In
what relation does the satirical or etymological portion of the dialogue
stand to the serious？ Granting all that can be said about the provoking
irony of Socrates； about the parody of Euthyphro； or Prodicus； or
Antisthenes； how does the long catalogue of etymologies furnish any answer
to the question of Hermogenes； which is evidently the main thesis of the
dialogue： What is the truth； or correctness； or principle of names？
After illustrating the nature of correctness by the analogy of the arts；
and then； as in the Republic； ironically appealing to the authority of the
Homeric poems； Socrates shows that the truth or correctness of names can
only be ascertained by an appeal to etymology。 The truth of names is to be
found in the analysis of their elements。 But why does he admit etymologies
which are absurd； based on Heracleitean fancies； fourfold interpretations
of words； impossible unions and separations of syllables and letters？
1。 The answer to this difficulty has been already anticipated in part：
Socrates is not a dogmatic teacher； and therefore he puts on this wild and
fanciful disguise； in order that the truth may be permitted to appear： 2。
as Benfey remarks； an erroneous example may illustrate a principle of
language as well as a true one： 3。 many of these etymologies； as； for
example； that of dikaion； are indicated； by the manner in which Socrates
speaks of them； to have been current in his own age： 4。 the philosophy of
language had not made such progress as would have justified Plato in
propounding real derivations。 Like his master Socrates； he saw through the
hollowness of the incipient sciences of the day； and tries to move in a
circle apart from them； laying down the conditions under which they are to
be pursued； but； as in the Timaeus； cautious and tentative； when he is
speaking of actual phenomena。 To have made etymologies seriously； would
have seemed to him like the interpretation of the myths in the Phaedrus；
the task 'of a not very fortunate individual； who had a great deal of time
on his hands。' The irony of Socrates places him above and beyond the
errors of his contemporaries。
The Cratylus is full of humour and satirical touches： the inspiration
which comes from Euthyphro； and his prancing steeds； the light admixture of
quotations from Homer； and the spurious dialectic which is applied to them；
the jest about the fifty…drachma course of Prodicus； which is declared on
the best authority； viz。 his own； to be a complete education in grammar and
rhetoric； the double explanation of the name Herm