Socrates Socrates. Well then, this name “Hermes” seems to me to have to do with speech; he is an interpreter (ἡρμηνεύς) and a messenger, 408ais wily and deceptive in speech, and is oratorical. All this activity is concerned with the power of speech. Now, as I said before, εἴρειν denotes the use of speech; moreover, Homer often uses the word ἐμήσατο, which means contrive. From these two words, then, the lawgiver imposes upon us the name of this god who contrived speech and the use of speech—εἴρεινmeans speak— 408band tells us: “Ye human beings, he who contrived speech (εἴρειν ἐμήσατο) ought to be called Eiremes by you.” We, however, have beautified the name, as we imagine, and call him Hermes. Iris also seems to have got her name from εἴρειν, because she is a messenger.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. By Zeus, I believe Cratylus was right in saying I was not Hermogenes; I certainly am no good contriver of speech.

Socrates Socrates. And it is reasonable, my friend, that Pan is the double-natured son of Hermes. 408c

Hermogenes Hermogenes. How is that?

Socrates Socrates. You know that speech makes all things (πᾶν) known and always makes them circulate and move about, and is twofold, true and false.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Certainly.

Socrates Socrates. Well, the true part is smooth and divine and dwells aloft among the gods, but falsehood dwells below among common men, is rough and like the tragic goat¹; for tales and falsehoods are most at home there, in the tragic life.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Certainly.

Socrates Socrates. Then Pan, who declares and always moves (ἀεὶ πολῶν) all, is rightly called goat-herd (αἰπόλος), 408dbeing the double-natured son of Hermes, smooth in his upper parts, rough and goat-like in his lower parts. And Pan, if he is the son of Hermes, is either speech or the brother of speech, and that brother resembles brother is not at all surprising. But, as I said, my friend, let us get away from the gods.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. From such gods as those, if you like, Socrates; but why should you not tell of another kind of gods, such as sun, moon, stars, earth, 408eether, air, fire, water, the seasons, and the year?

Socrates Socrates. You are imposing a good many tasks upon me; however, if it will give you pleasure, I am willing.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. It will give me pleasure.

Socrates Socrates. What, then, do you wish first? Shall we discuss the sun (Ἥλιος), as you mentioned it first?

Hermogenes Hermogenes. By all means.

Socrates Socrates. I think it would be clearer 409aif we were to use the Doric form of the name. The Dorians call it Ἅλιος. Now ἅλιος might be derived from collecting (ἁλίζειν) men when he rises, or because he always turns (ἀεὶ εἱλεῖν) about the earth in his course, or because he variegates the products of the earth, for variegate is identical with αἰολλεῖν.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. And what of the moon, Selene?

Socrates Socrates. That name appears to put Anaxagoras in an uncomfortable position.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. How so?

Socrates Socrates. Why, it seems to have anticipated by many years the recent doctrine of Anaxagoras, 409bthat the moon receives its light from the sun.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. How is that?

Socrates Socrates. Σέλας (gleam) and φῶς (light) are the same thing.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Yes.

Socrates Socrates. Now the light is always new and old about the moon, if the Anaxagoreans are right; for they say the sun, in its continuous course about the moon, always sheds new light upon it, and the light of the previous month persists.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Certainly.

Socrates Socrates. The moon is often called Σελαναία.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Certainly.

Socrates Socrates. Because it has always a new and old gleam (σέλα νέον τε καὶ ἕνον) 409cthe very most fitting name for it would be Σελαενονεοάεια, which has been compressed into Σελαναία.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. That is a regular opera bouffe name, Socrates. But what have you to say of the month (μήν) and the stars?

Socrates Socrates. The word “month” (μείς) would be properly pronounced μείης, from μειοῦσθαι, to grow less, and I think the stars (ἄστερα) get their name from ἀστραπή (lightning). But ἀστραπή, because it turns our eyes upwards (τὰ ὦπα ἀναστρέθει), would be called ἀναστρωπή, which is now pronounced more prettily ἀστραπή.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. And what of πῦρ (fire) and ὕδωρ (water)? 409d

Socrates Socrates. Πῦρ is too much for me. It must be that either the muse of Euthyphro has deserted me or this is a very difficult word. Now just note the contrivance I introduce in all cases like this which are too much for me.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. What contrivance?

Socrates Socrates. I will tell you. Answer me; can you tell the reason of the word πῦρ?

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Not I, by Zeus.

Socrates Socrates. See what I suspect about it. I know that many Greeks, 409eespecially those who are subject to the barbarians, have adopted many foreign words.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. What of that?

Socrates Socrates. If we should try to demonstrate the fitness of those words in accordance with the Greek language, and not in accordance with the language from which they are derived, you know we should get into trouble.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Naturally.

Socrates Socrates. Well, this word πῦρ is probably foreign; for it is difficult to connect it with the Greek language, and besides, the Phrygians have the same word, only slightly altered. The same is the case with ὕδωρ (water), κύων (dog), and many other words.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Yes, that is true.

Socrates Socrates. So we must not propose forced explanations of these words, though something might be said about them. I therefore set aside πῦρ and ὕδωρ in this way. 410bBut is air called ἀήρ because it raises (αἴρει) things from the earth, or because it is always flowing (ἀεὶ ῥεῖ), or because wind arises from its flow? The poets call the winds ἀήτας, blasts. Perhaps the poet means to say “air-flow” (ἀητόρρουν), as he might say “wind-flow” (πνευματόρρουν). The word αἴθηρ (ether) I understand in this way: because it always runs and flows about the air (ἀεὶ θεῖ περὶ τὸν ἀέρα ῥέον), it may properly be called ἀειθεήρα. The word γῆ (earth) shows the meaning better 410cin the form γαῖα; for γαῖα is a correct word for “mother,” as Homer says, for he uses γεγάασιν to mean γεγενῆσθαι (be born). Well, now what came next?

Hermogenes Hermogenes. The seasons, Socrates, and the two words for year.

Socrates Socrates. The word ὧραι (seasons) should be pronounced in the old Attic fashion, ὅραι, if you wish to know the probable meaning; ΗΟΡΑΙ exist to divide winters and summers and winds and the fruits of the earth; and since they divide (ὁρίζουσι), they would rightly be called ὅραι. 410dThe two words for year, ἐνιαυτός and ἔτος, are really one. For that which brings to light within itself the plants and animals, each in its turn, and examines them, is called by some ἐνιαυτός, because of its activity within itself (ἐν ἑαυτῷ), and by others ἔτος, because it examines (ἐτάζει), just as we saw before that the name of Zeus was divided and some said Δία and others Ζῆνα. The whole phrase is “that which examines within itself” (τὸ ἐν ἁυτῷ ἐτάζον), and this one phrase is divided in speech so that the two words ἐνιαυτός and ἔτος 410eare formed from one phrase.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Truly, Socrates, you are going ahead at a great rate.

Socrates Socrates. Yes, I fancy I am already far along on the road of wisdom.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. I am sure you are.

Socrates Socrates. You will be surer presently.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Now after the class of words you, have explained, I should like to examine the correctness of the noble words that relate to virtue, such as wisdom, intelligence, justice, and all the others of that sort.

Socrates Socrates. You are stirring up a mighty tribe of words, my friend; however, since I have put on the lion helmet, I must not play the coward, but must, it seems, examine wisdom, intelligence, thought, knowledge, 411band all the other noble words of which you speak.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. Certainly we must not stop until that is done.

Socrates Socrates. By dog, I believe I have a fine intuition which has just come to me, that the very ancient men who invented names were quite like most of the present philosophers who always get dizzy as they turn round and round in their search for the nature of things, and then the things seem to them to turn round and round and be in motion. 411cThey think the cause of this belief is not an affection within themselves, but that the nature of things really is such that nothing is at rest or stable, but everything is flowing and moving and always full of constant motion and generation. I say this because I thought of it with reference to all these words we are now considering.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. How is that, Socrates?

Socrates Socrates. Perhaps you did not observe that the names we just mentioned are given under the assumption that the things named are moving and flowing and being generated.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. No, I did not notice that at all. 411d

Socrates Socrates. Surely the first one we mentioned is subject to such assumptions.

Hermogenes Hermogenes. What is the word ?

Socrates Socrates. Wisdom (φρόνησις); for it is perception (νόησις) of motion (φορᾶς) and flowing (ῥοῦ); or it might be understood as benefit (ὄνησις) of motion (φορᾶς); in either case it has to do with motion. And γνώμη (thought), if you please, certainly denotes contemplation and consideration of generation (γονῆς νώμησις); for to consider is the same as to contemplate. Or, if you please, νόησις (intelligence) is merely ἕσις (desire) τοῦ νεοῦ (of the new); but that things are new shows that they are always being generated; 411etherefore the soul’s desire for generation is declared by the giver of the name νεόεσις; for in antiquity the name was not νόησις, but two epsilons had to be spoken instead of the eta.