cratylus-第23章
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man cannot in reality be wiser than another。
HERMOGENES： He cannot。
SOCRATES： Nor will you be disposed to say with Euthydemus； that all things
equally belong to all men at the same moment and always； for neither on his
view can there be some good and others bad； if virtue and vice are always
equally to be attributed to all。
HERMOGENES： There cannot。
SOCRATES： But if neither is right； and things are not relative to
individuals； and all things do not equally belong to all at the same moment
and always； they must be supposed to have their own proper and permanent
essence： they are not in relation to us； or influenced by us； fluctuating
according to our fancy； but they are independent； and maintain to their own
essence the relation prescribed by nature。
HERMOGENES： I think； Socrates； that you have said the truth。
SOCRATES： Does what I am saying apply only to the things themselves； or
equally to the actions which proceed from them？ Are not actions also a
class of being？
HERMOGENES： Yes； the actions are real as well as the things。
SOCRATES： Then the actions also are done according to their proper nature；
and not according to our opinion of them？ In cutting； for example； we do
not cut as we please； and with any chance instrument； but we cut with the
proper instrument only； and according to the natural process of cutting；
and the natural process is right and will succeed； but any other will fail
and be of no use at all。
HERMOGENES： I should say that the natural way is the right way。
SOCRATES： Again； in burning； not every way is the right way； but the right
way is the natural way； and the right instrument the natural instrument。
HERMOGENES： True。
SOCRATES： And this holds good of all actions？
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And speech is a kind of action？
HERMOGENES： True。
SOCRATES： And will a man speak correctly who speaks as he pleases？ Will
not the successful speaker rather be he who speaks in the natural way of
speaking； and as things ought to be spoken； and with the natural
instrument？ Any other mode of speaking will result in error and failure。
HERMOGENES： I quite agree with you。
SOCRATES： And is not naming a part of speaking？ for in giving names men
speak。
HERMOGENES： That is true。
SOCRATES： And if speaking is a sort of action and has a relation to acts；
is not naming also a sort of action？
HERMOGENES： True。
SOCRATES： And we saw that actions were not relative to ourselves； but had
a special nature of their own？
HERMOGENES： Precisely。
SOCRATES： Then the argument would lead us to infer that names ought to be
given according to a natural process； and with a proper instrument； and not
at our pleasure： in this and no other way shall we name with success。
HERMOGENES： I agree。
SOCRATES： But again； that which has to be cut has to be cut with
something？
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And that which has to be woven or pierced has to be woven or
pierced with something？
HERMOGENES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And that which has to be named has to be named with something？
HERMOGENES： True。
SOCRATES： What is that with which we pierce？
HERMOGENES： An awl。
SOCRATES： And with which we weave？
HERMOGENES： A shuttle。
SOCRATES： And with which we name？
HERMOGENES： A name。
SOCRATES： Very good： then a name is an instrument？
HERMOGENES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： Suppose that I ask； 'What sort of instrument is a shuttle？' And
you answer； 'A weaving instrument。'
HERMOGENES： Well。
SOCRATES： And I ask again； 'What do we do when we weave？'The answer is；
that we separate or disengage the warp from the woof。
HERMOGENES： Very true。
SOCRATES： And may not a similar description be given of an awl； and of
instruments in general？
HERMOGENES： To be sure。
SOCRATES： And now suppose that I ask a similar question about names： will
you answer me？ Regarding the name as an instrument； what do we do when we
name？
HERMOGENES： I cannot say。
SOCRATES： Do we not give information to one another； and distinguish
things according to their natures？
HERMOGENES： Certainly we do。
SOCRATES： Then a name is an instrument of teaching and of distinguishing
natures； as the shuttle is of distinguishing the threads of the web。
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And the shuttle is the instrument of the weaver？
HERMOGENES： Assuredly。
SOCRATES： Then the weaver will use the shuttle welland well means like a
weaver？ and the teacher will use the name welland well means like a
teacher？
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And when the weaver uses the shuttle； whose work will he be
using well？
HERMOGENES： That of the carpenter。
SOCRATES： And is every man a carpenter； or the skilled only？
HERMOGENES： Only the skilled。
SOCRATES： And when the piercer uses the awl； whose work will he be using
well？
HERMOGENES： That of the smith。
SOCRATES： And is every man a smith； or only the skilled？
HERMOGENES： The skilled only。
SOCRATES： And when the teacher uses the name； whose work will he be using？
HERMOGENES： There again I am puzzled。
SOCRATES： Cannot you at least say who gives us the names which we use？
HERMOGENES： Indeed I cannot。
SOCRATES： Does not the law seem to you to give us them？
HERMOGENES： Yes； I suppose so。
SOCRATES： Then the teacher； when he gives us a name； uses the work of the
legislator？
HERMOGENES： I agree。
SOCRATES： And is every man a legislator； or the skilled only？
HERMOGENES： The skilled only。
SOCRATES： Then； Hermogenes； not every man is able to give a name； but only
a maker of names； and this is the legislator； who of all skilled artisans
in the world is the rarest。
HERMOGENES： True。
SOCRATES： And how does the legislator make names？ and to what does he
look？ Consider this in the light of the previous instances： to what does
the carpenter look in making the shuttle？ Does he not look to that which
is naturally fitted to act as a shuttle？
HERMOGENES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And suppose the shuttle to be broken in making； will he make
another； looking to the broken one？ or will he look to the form according
to which he made the other？
HERMOGENES： To the latter； I should imagine。
SOCRATES： Might not that be justly called the true or ideal shuttle？
HERMOGENES： I think so。
SOCRATES： And whatever shuttles are wanted； for the manufacture of
garments； thin or thick； of flaxen； woollen； or other material； ought all
of them to have the true form of the shuttle； and whatever is the shuttle
best adapted to each kind of work； that ought to be the form which the
maker produces in each case。
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： And the same holds of other instruments： when a man has
discovered the instrument which is naturally adapted to each work； he must
express this natural form； and not others which he fancies； in the
material； whatever it may be； which he employs； for example； he ought to
know how to put into iron the forms of awls adapted by nature to their
several uses？
HERMOGENES： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And how to put into wood forms of shuttles adapted by nature to
their uses？
HERMOGENES： True。
SOCRATES： For the several forms of shuttles naturally answer to the
several kinds of webs； and this is true of instruments in general。
HERMOGENES： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then； as to names： ought not our legislator also to know how to
put the true natural name of each thing into sounds and syllables； and to
make and give all names with a view to the ideal name； if he is to be a
namer in any true sense？ And we must remember that different legislators
will not use the same syllables
