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HERMOGENES： I think it very likely indeed。
SOCRATES： What shall follow the Gods？
HERMOGENES： Must not demons and heroes and men come next？
SOCRATES： Demons！ And what do you consider to be the meaning of this
word？ Tell me if my view is right。
HERMOGENES： Let me hear。
SOCRATES： You know how Hesiod uses the word？
HERMOGENES： I do not。
SOCRATES： Do you not remember that he speaks of a golden race of men who
came first？
HERMOGENES： Yes； I do。
SOCRATES： He says of them
'But now that fate has closed over this race
They are holy demons upon the earth；
Beneficent； averters of ills； guardians of mortal men。' （Hesiod； Works and
Days。）
HERMOGENES： What is the inference？
SOCRATES： What is the inference！ Why； I suppose that he means by the
golden men； not men literally made of gold； but good and noble； and I am
convinced of this； because he further says that we are the iron race。
HERMOGENES： That is true。
SOCRATES： And do you not suppose that good men of our own day would by him
be said to be of golden race？
HERMOGENES： Very likely。
SOCRATES： And are not the good wise？
HERMOGENES： Yes； they are wise。
SOCRATES： And therefore I have the most entire conviction that he called
them demons； because they were daemones （knowing or wise）； and in our older
Attic dialect the word itself occurs。 Now he and other poets say truly；
that when a good man dies he has honour and a mighty portion among the
dead； and becomes a demon； which is a name given to him signifying wisdom。
And I say too； that every wise man who happens to be a good man is more
than human （daimonion） both in life and death； and is rightly called a
demon。
HERMOGENES： Then I rather think that I am of one mind with you； but what
is the meaning of the word 'hero'？ （Eros with an eta； in the old writing
eros with an epsilon。）
SOCRATES： I think that there is no difficulty in explaining； for the name
is not much altered； and signifies that they were born of love。
HERMOGENES： What do you mean？
SOCRATES： Do you not know that the heroes are demigods？
HERMOGENES： What then？
SOCRATES： All of them sprang either from the love of a God for a mortal
woman； or of a mortal man for a Goddess； think of the word in the old
Attic； and you will see better that the name heros is only a slight
alteration of Eros； from whom the heroes sprang： either this is the
meaning； or； if not this； then they must have been skilful as rhetoricians
and dialecticians； and able to put the question （erotan）； for eirein is
equivalent to legein。 And therefore； as I was saying； in the Attic dialect
the heroes turn out to be rhetoricians and questioners。 All this is easy
enough； the noble breed of heroes are a tribe of sophists and rhetors。 But
can you tell me why men are called anthropoi？that is more difficult。
HERMOGENES： No； I cannot； and I would not try even if I could； because I
think that you are the more likely to succeed。
SOCRATES： That is to say； you trust to the inspiration of Euthyphro。
HERMOGENES： Of course。
SOCRATES： Your faith is not vain； for at this very moment a new and
ingenious thought strikes me； and； if I am not careful； before to…morrow's
dawn I shall be wiser than I ought to be。 Now； attend to me； and first；
remember that we often put in and pull out letters in words； and give names
as we please and change the accents。 Take； for example； the word Dii
Philos； in order to convert this from a sentence into a noun； we omit one
of the iotas and sound the middle syllable grave instead of acute； as； on
the other hand； letters are sometimes inserted in words instead of being
omitted； and the acute takes the place of the grave。
HERMOGENES： That is true。
SOCRATES： The name anthropos； which was once a sentence； and is now a
noun； appears to be a case just of this sort； for one letter； which is the
alpha； has been omitted； and the acute on the last syllable has been
changed to a grave。
HERMOGENES： What do you mean？
SOCRATES： I mean to say that the word 'man' implies that other animals
never examine； or consider； or look up at what they see； but that man not
only sees （opope） but considers and looks up at that which he sees； and
hence he alone of all animals is rightly anthropos； meaning anathron a
opopen。
HERMOGENES： May I ask you to examine another word about which I am
curious？
SOCRATES： Certainly。
HERMOGENES： I will take that which appears to me to follow next in order。
You know the distinction of soul and body？
SOCRATES： Of course。
HERMOGENES： Let us endeavour to analyze them like the previous words。
SOCRATES： You want me first of all to examine the natural fitness of the
word psuche （soul）； and then of the word soma （body）？
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： If I am to say what occurs to me at the moment； I should imagine
that those who first used the name psuche meant to express that the soul
when in the body is the source of life； and gives the power of breath and
revival （anapsuchon）； and when this reviving power fails then the body
perishes and dies； and this； if I am not mistaken； they called psyche。 But
please stay a moment； I fancy that I can discover something which will be
more acceptable to the disciples of Euthyphro； for I am afraid that they
will scorn this explanation。 What do you say to another？
HERMOGENES： Let me hear。
SOCRATES： What is that which holds and carries and gives life and motion
to the entire nature of the body？ What else but the soul？
HERMOGENES： Just that。
SOCRATES： And do you not believe with Anaxagoras； that mind or soul is the
ordering and containing principle of all things？
HERMOGENES： Yes； I do。
SOCRATES： Then you may well call that power phuseche which carries and
holds nature （e phusin okei； kai ekei）； and this may be refined away into
psuche。
HERMOGENES： Certainly； and this derivation is； I think； more scientific
than the other。
SOCRATES： It is so； but I cannot help laughing； if I am to suppose that
this was the true meaning of the name。
HERMOGENES： But what shall we say of the next word？
SOCRATES： You mean soma （the body）。
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： That may be variously interpreted； and yet more variously if a
little permutation is allowed。 For some say that the body is the grave
（sema） of the soul which may be thought to be buried in our present life；
or again the index of the soul； because the soul gives indications to
（semainei） the body； probably the Orphic poets were the inventors of the
name； and they were under the impression that the soul is suffering the
punishment of sin； and that the body is an enclosure or prison in which the
soul is incarcerated； kept safe （soma； sozetai）； as the name soma implies；
until the penalty is paid； according to this view； n