sophist-第4部分

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imply　that　the　art　of　instruction　is　also　twofold；　answering　to　the

two　divisions　of　ignorance。

　　Theaet。　Well；　and　do　you　see　what　you　are　looking　for？

　　Str。　I　do　seem　to　myself　to　see　one　very　large　and　bad　sort　of

ignorance　which　is　quite　separate；　and　may　be　weighed　in　the　scale

against　all　other　sorts　of　ignorance　put　together。

　　Theaet。　What　is　it？

　　Str。　When　a　person　supposes　that　he　knows；　and　does　not　know　this

appears　to　be　the　great　source　of　all　the　errors　of　the　intellect。

　　Theaet。　True。

　　Str。　And　this；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　is　the　kind　of　ignorance

which　specially　earns　the　title　of　stupidity。

　　Theaet。　True。

　　Str。　What　name；　then；　shall　be　given　to　the　sort　of　instruction

which　gets　rid　of　this？

　　Theaet。　The　instruction　which　you　mean；　Stranger；　is；　I　should

imagine；　not　the　teaching　of　handicraft　arts；　but　what；　thanks　to

us；　has　been　termed　education　in　this　part　the　world。

　　Str。　Yes；　Theaetetus；　and　by　nearly　all　Hellenes。　But　we　have

still　to　consider　whether　education　admits　of　any　further　division。

　　Theaet。　We　have。

　　Str。　I　think　that　there　is　a　point　at　which　such　a　division　is

possible。

　　Theaet。　Where？

　　Str。　Of　education；　one　method　appears　to　be　rougher；　and　another

smoother。

　　Theaet。　How　are　we　to　distinguish　the　two？

　　Str。　There　is　the　time…honoured　mode　which　our　fathers　commonly

practised　towards　their　sons；　and　which　is　still　adopted　by

many…either　of　roughly　reproving　their　errors；　or　of　gently　advising

them；　which　varieties　may　be　correctly　included　under　the　

general　term

of　admonition。

　　Theaet。　True。

　　Str。　But　whereas　some　appear　to　have　arrived　at　the　conclusion

that　all　ignorance　is　involuntary；　and　that　no　one　who　thinks

himself　wise　is　willing　to　learn　any　of　those　things　in　which　he　is

conscious　of　his　own　cleverness；　and　that　the　admonitory　sort　of

instruction　gives　much　trouble　and　does　little　good…

　　Theaet。　There　they　are　quite　right。

　　Str。　Accordingly；　they　set　to　work　to　eradicate　the　spirit　of

conceit　in　another　way。

　　Theaet。　In　what　way？

　　Str。　They　cross…examine　a　man's　words；　when　he　thinks　that　he　is

saying　something　and　is　really　saying　nothing；　and　easily　convict

him　of　inconsistencies　in　his　opinions；　these　they　then　

collect　by　the

dialectical　process；　and　placing　them　side　by　side；　show　that　they

contradict　one　another　about　the　same　things；　in　relation　to　the

same　things；　and　in　the　same　respect。　He；　seeing　this；　is　angry　with

himself；　and　grows　gentle　towards　others；　and　thus　is　entirely

delivered　from　great　prejudices　and　harsh　notions；　in　a　way　which　is

most　amusing　to　the　hearer；　and　produces　the　most　lasting　good

effect　on　the　person　who　is　the　subject　of　the　operation。　For　as　the

physician　considers　that　the　body　will　receive　no　benefit　from

taking　food　until　the　internal　obstacles　have　been　removed；　so　the

purifier　of　the　soul　is　conscious　that　his　patient　will　receive　no

benefit　from　the　application　of　knowledge　until　he　is　refuted；　and

from　refutation　learns　modesty；　he　must　be　purged　of　his　prejudices

first　and　made　to　think　that　he　knows　only　what　he　knows；　

and　no　more。

　　Theaet。　That　is　certainly　the　best　and　wisest　state　of　mind。

　　Str。　For　all　these　reasons；　Theaetetus；　we　must　admit　that

refutation　is　the　greatest　and　chiefest　of　purifications；　and　he　who

has　not　been　refuted；　though　he　be　the　Great　King　himself；　is　in　an

awful　state　of　impurity；　he　is　uninstructed　and　deformed　in　those

things　in　which　he　who　would　be　truly　blessed　ought　to　be　fairest

and　purest。

　　Theaet。　Very　true。

　　Str。　And　who　are　the　ministers　of　this　art？

I　am　afraid　to　say　the　Sophists。

　　Theaet。　Why？

　　Str。　Lest　we　should　assign　to　them　too　high　a　prerogative。

　　Theaet。　Yet　the　Sophist　has　a　certain　likeness　to　our　minister　of

purification。

　　Str。　Yes；　the　same　sort　of　likeness　which　a　wolf；　who　is　the

fiercest　of　animals；　has　to　a　dog；　who　is　the　gentlest。　But　he　who

would　not　be　found　tripping；　ought　to　be　very　careful　in　this　matter

of　comparisons；　for　they　are　most　slippery　things。　Nevertheless；　let

us　assume　that　the　Sophists　are　the　men。　I　say　this　

provisionally；　for

I　think　that　the　line　which　divides　them　will　be　marked　enough　if

proper　care　is　taken。

　　Theaet。　Likely　enough。

　　Str。　Let　us　grant；　then；　that　from　the　discerning　art　comes

purification；　and　from　purification　let　there　be　separated　off　a

part　which　is　concerned　with　the　soul；　of　this　mental　purification

instruction　is　a　portion；　and　of　instruction　education；　and　of

education；　that　refutation　of　vain　conceit　which　has　been　discovered

in　the　present　argument；　and　let　this　be　called　by　you　and　me　the

nobly…descended　art　of　Sophistry。

　　Theaet。　Very　well；　and　yet；　considering　the　number　of　

forms　in　which

he　has　presented　himself；　I　begin　to　doubt　how　I　can　with　

any　truth　or

confidence　describe　the　real　nature　of　the　Sophist。

　　Str。　You　naturally　feel　perplexed；　and　yet　I　think　that　he　must　be

still　more　perplexed　in　his　attempt　to　escape　us；　for　as　the　proverb

says；　when　every　way　is　blocked；　there　is　no　escape；　now；　

then；　is　the

time　of　all　others　to　set　upon　him。

　　Theaet。　True。

　　Str。　First　let　us　wait　a　moment　and　recover　breath；　and　

while　we　are

resting；　we　may　reckon　up　in　how　many　forms　he　has　appeared。　In　the

first　place；　he　was　discovered　to　be　a　paid　hunter　after　wealth　and

youth。

　　Theaet。　Yes。

　　Str。　In　the　second　place；　he　was　a　merchant　in　the　goods　of　the

soul。

　　Theaet。　Certainly。

　　Str。　In　the　third　place；　he　has　turned　out　to　be　a　retailer　of　the

same　sort　of　wares。

　　Theaet。　Yes；　and　in　the　fourth　place；　he　himself　manufactured　the

learned　wares　which　he　sold。

　　Str。　Quite　right；　I　will　try　and　remember　the　fifth　myself。　He

belonged　to　the　fighting　class；　and　was　further　distinguished　as　a

hero　of　debate；　who　professed　the　eristic　art。

　　Theaet。　True。

　　Str。　The　sixth　point　was　doubtful；　and　yet　we　at　last　

agreed　that　he

was　a　purger　of　souls；　who　cleared　away　notions　obstructive　to

knowledge。

　　Theaet。　Very　true。

　　Str。　Do　you　not　see　that　when　the　professor　of　any　art　has　one

name　and　many　kinds　of　knowledge；　there　must　be　something　wrong？　The

multiplicity　of　names　which　is　applied　to　him　shows　that　the　common

principle　to　which　all　these　branches　of　knowledge　are　

tending；　is　not

understood。

　　Theaet。　I　should　imagine　this　to　be　the　case。

　　Str。　At　any　rate　we　will　understand　him；　and　no　indolence　shall

prevent　us。　Let　us　begin　again；　then；　and　re…examine　some　of　our

statements　concerning　the　Sophist；　there　was　one　thing　which

appeared　to　me　especially　characteristic　of　him。

　　Theaet。　To　what　are　you　referring？

　　Str。　We　were　saying　of　him；　if　I　am　not　mistaken；　that　he　was　a

disputer？

　　Theaet。　We　were。

　　Str。　And　does　he　not　also　teach　others　the　art　of　disputation？

　　Theaet。　Certainly　he　does。

　　Str。　And　about　what　does　he　profess　that　he　teaches　men　to

dispute？　To　begin　at　the　beginning…Does　he　make　them　able　to　dispute

about　divine　things；　which　are　invisible　to　men　in　general？

　　Theaet。　At　any　rate；　he　is　said　to　do　so。

　　Str。　And　what　do　you　say　of　the　visible　things　in　heaven　and

earth；　and　the　like？

　　Theaet。　Certainly　he　disputes；　and　teaches　to　dispute　about　them。

　　Str。　Then；　again；　in　private　conversation；　when　any　universal

assertion　is　made　about　generation　and　essence；　we　know　that　such

persons　are　tremendous　argufiers；　and　are　able　to　impart　their　own

skill　to　others。

　　Theaet。　Undoubtedly。

　　Str。　And　do　they　not　profess　to　make　men　able　to　dispute　about　law

and　about　politics　in　general？

　　Theaet。　Why；　no　one　would　have　anything　to　say　to　them；　if　they

did　not　make　these　professions。

　　Str。　In　all　and　every　art；　what　the　craftsman　ought　to　say　

in　answer

to　any　question　is　written　down　in　a　popular　form；　and　he　who　likes

may　learn。

　　Theaet。　I　suppose　that　you　are　referring　to　the　precepts　of

Protagoras　about　wrestling　and　the　other　arts？

　　Str。　Yes；　my　friend；　and　about　a　good　many　other　things。　In　a

word；　is　not　the　art　of　disputation　a　power　of　disputing　about　all

things？

　　Theaet。　Certainly；　there　does　not　seem　to　be　much　which　is　

left　out。

　　Str。　But　oh！　my　dear　youth；　do　you　suppose　this　possible？　for

perhaps　your　young　eyes　may　see　things　which　to　our　duller　sight　do

not　appear。

　　Theaet。　To　what　are　you　alluding？　I　do　not　think　that　I　understand

your　present　question。

　　Str。　I　ask　whether　anybody　can　understand　all　things。

　　Theaet。　Happy　would　mankind　be　if　such　a　thing　were　possible！

　　Soc。　But　how　can　any　one　who　is　ignorant　dispute　in　a　rational

manner　against　him　who　knows？

　　Theaet。　He　cannot。

　　Str。　Then　why　has　the　sophistical　art　such　a　mysterious　power？

　　Theaet。　To　what　do　you　refer？

　　Str。　How　do　the　Sophists　make　young　men　believe　in　their　

supreme　and

universal　wisdom？　For　if　they　neither　disputed　nor　were　thought　to

dispute　rightly；　or　being　thought　to　do　so　were　deemed　no　wiser　for

their　controversial　skill；　then；　to　quote　your　own　

observation；　no　one

would　give　them　money　or　be　willing　to　learn　their　art。

　　Theaet。　They　certainly　would　not。

　　Str。　But　they　are　willing。

　　Theaet。　Yes；　they　are。

　　Str。　Yes；　and　the　reason；　as　I　should　imagine；　is　that　they　are

supposed　to　have　knowledge　of　those　things　about　which　they　dispute？

　　Theaet。　Certainly。

　　Str。　And　they　dispute　about　all　things？

　　Theaet。　True。

　　Str。　And　therefore；　to　their　disciples；　they　appear　to　be　all…wise？

　　Theaet。　Certainly。

　　Str。　But　they　are　not；　for　that　was　shown　to　be　impossible。

　　Theaet。　Impossible；　of　course。

　　Str。　Then　the　Sophist　has　been　shown　to　have　a　sort　of　conjectural

or　apparent　knowledge　only　of　all　things；　which　is　not　the　truth？

　　Theaet。　Exactly；　no　better　description　of　him　could　be　given。

　　Str。　Let　us　now　take　an　illustration；　which　will　still　more

clearly　explain　his　nature。

　　Theaet。　What　is　it？

　　Str。　I　will　tell　you；　and　you　shall　answer　me；　giving　your　very

closest　attention。　Suppose　that　a　person　were　to　profess；　not　that

he　could　speak