Soc. But, as I was saying, my dear Hermogenes (a0ll’ o3per e0gw_ e1legon, w} maka/rie), let us get away from the Gods (a0pallagw~men e0k tw~n qew~n).
Her.
From these sort of Gods, by all means, Socrates (Tw~n ge toiou/twn, w} Sw&kratesj, ei0
bou/lei). But why should
we not discuss another kind of Gods (peri\ tw~n toiw~nde de\ ti/ se kwlu/ei dielqei=n) – the sun, moon, stars, earth,
aether, air, fire, water, the seasons, and the year (oi[on h9li/ou te kai\
selh/nhj kai\ a1strwn kai\ gh=j kai\ ai0qe/roj kai\ a0e/roj kai\ puro\j kai\ u3datoj kai\ w(rw~n kai\ e0niautou=;)?
Soc.
You impose a great many tasks upon me (Suxna\ me/n moi prosta/tteij). Still (o3mwj de/), if you wish (ei1per soi
kexarisme/non e1stai), I
will not refuse (e0qe/lw).
Her.
You will oblige me (Kai\ mh\n xarih=|).
Soc.
How would you have me begin? Shall I take first of all him whom you mentioned
first – the sun (Ti/ dh\ ou]n prw~ton bou/lei; h2 a#per ei]pej to\n h3lion die/lqwmen;)?
Her.
Very good (Pa/nu
ge).
Soc.
The origin of the sun will probably be clearer in the Doric form, for the
Dorians call him a3lioj, and this
name is given to him because when he rises he gathers [a9li/zoi] men together or he is always rolling
in his course [a0ei\ ei0lei=n i0w_n]
about the earth; or from ai0olei=n, of
which the meaning is the same as poiki/llein (to
variegate), because he variegates the production of the earth (E!oike toi/nun
kata/dhlon geno/menon a2n ma=llon ei0 tij Ddwrikw~| tij o0no/mati xrw~|to – “a3lion” ga\r kalou=sin oi9 Dwrih=j – “a3lioj” ou]n ei1h me\n a2n kata\ to\ a9li/zein
ei0j tau0to\n tou\j a0nqrw&pouj e0peida\n a0natei/lh|, ei1h d’ a2n kai\ tw~| peri\ th\n gh=na0ei\ ei/lein
i0w&n, e0oi/koi d’ a2n kai\ o3ti
poiki/llei i0w_n ta\ gigno/mena e0k th=j gh=j, to\ de\ poiki/llein kai\
ai0olei=n tau0to/n).
Her.
But what is selh/nh (the moon) (Ti/ de\ h9 “selh=nh”;)?
Soc.
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