Cratylus 9

Hermogenes: What is the meaning of Dionysus and Aphrodite (Ti/ de\ o9 “Dionuso/j” te kai\ h9 “A0frodi/th”;)?

Socrates: Son of Hipponicus, you ask a solemn question (Mega/la, w} pai= I(pponi/kou, e0rwta|=j); there is a serious and also a facetious explanation of both these names (a0lla\ e1sti ga\r kai\ spoudai/wj ei0rhme/noj o9 tro/poj tw~n o0noma/twn tou/toij toi=j qeoi=j kai\ paidikw~j); the serious explanation is not to be had from me (to\n me\n ou]n spoudai=on a1llouj tina\j e0rw&ta), but there is no objection to your hearing the facetious one (to\n de\ paidiko\n ou0de\n kwlu/ei dielqei=n); for the Gods too love a joke (filopai/smonej ga\r kai\ oi9 qeoi/). Dio/nusoj is simply didou\j oi]non [giver of wine], Didoi/nusoj, as he might be called in fun (o3 te ga\r Dio/nusoj ei1h a2n o9 didou\j to\n oi]non “Didoi/nusoj” e0n paidia=| kalou/menoj) – and oi]noj is properly oi0o/nouj, because wine makes those who drink, think [oi1esqai] that they have a mind [nou=n] when they have none (oi]noj d’, o3ti oi1esqai nou=n e1xein poiei= tw~n pino/ntwn tou\j pollou\j ou0k e1xontaj, “oi0o/nouj” dikaio/tat’ a2n kalou/menoj). The derivation of Aphrodite, born of the foam [a0fro\j] may be fairly accepted on the authority of Hesiod (peri\ d’ A0frodi/thj ou0k a1cion H(sio/dw| a0ntile/gein, a0lla\ sugxwrei=n o3ti dia\ th\n e0k tou= a0frou= ge/nesin “A0fodi/th” e0klh/qh).

Her. Still there remains Athene, whom you, Socrates, as an Athenian, will surely not forget; there are also Hephaestus and Ares (A0lla\ mh\n ou0d’ A0qhna=j A0qhnai=o/j g’ w!n, w} Sw&kratej, e0pilh/sh|, ou0d’ H(fai/stou te kai\ A1rewj).

Soc. I am not likely to forget them (Ou0de\ ei0ko/j ge).

Her. No, indeed (Ou0 ga/r).

Soc. There is no difficulty in explaining the other appellation of Athene (Ou0kou=n to\ me\n e3teron o1noma au0th=j ou0 xalepo\n e0pei=n di’ o4 kei=tai).

Her. What other appellation (To\ poi=on;)?

Soc. We call her Pallas (“Palla/da” pou au0th\n kalou=men).

Her. To be sure (Pw~j ga\r ou1;).

Soc. And we cannot be wrong in supposing that this is derived from armed dances (Tou=to me\n toi/nun a0po\ th=j e0n toi=j o3ploij o0rxh/sewj h9gou/menoi teqh=nai o0rqw~j a1n, w(j e0gw}|mai, h9goi/meqa). For the elevation of oneself or anything else above the earth, or by the use of the hands, we call shaking [pa/llein], or dancing (to\ ga/r pou h2 au9to\n h2 ti a1llo metewri/zein h2 a0po\ th=j gh=j h2 e0n tai=j xersi\n “pa/llein” te kai\ “pa/llesqai” kai\ o0rxei=n kai\ o0rxei=sqai kalou=men).

Her. That is quite true (Pa/nu me\n ou]n).

Soc. Then that is the explanation of the name Pallas (“Palla/da” me\n toi/nun tau=th|)?

Her. Yes (Kai\ o0rqw~j ge); but what do you say of the other name (a0lla\ dh\ to\ e3teron pw~j le/geij;)?

Soc. Athene (To\ th=j A0qhna=j;)?

Her. Yes (Nai/).

Soc. That is a graver matter (Tou=to e0mbriqe/steron), and there, my friend, the modern interpreters of Homer may, I think, assist in explaining the view of the ancients. For most of these in their explanations of the poet, assert that he meant by Athene “mind” [nou=j] and “intelligence” [dia/noia] (w} fi/le, e0oi/kasi dh\ kai\ oi9 palaioi\ th\n A0qhna=n nomi/zein w#sper oi9 nu=n peri\ O#mhron deinoi/, kai\ ga\r tou/twn oi9 polloi\ e0chgou/menoi to\n poihth/n fasi th\n A0qhna=n au0to\n nou=n te kai\ dia/noian pepoihke/nai), and the maker of names appears to have had a singular notion about her (kai\ o4 ta\ o0no/mata poiw~n e1oike toiou=to/n ti peri\ au0th=j dianoei=sqai); and indeed calls her by a still higher title, “divine intelligence” [qeou= no/hsij] (e1ti de\ meizo/nwj le/gwn qeou= no/hsin), as though he would say: (w(sperei\ le/gei o3ti) This is she who has the mind of God [qeono/a] (“a9 qeono/a” e0sti\n au3th); – using a as a dialectical variety for h, and taking away i and s (tw~| a1lfa cenikw~j a0nti\ tou= h]ta xrhsa/menoj kai\ to\ i0w~ta kai\ to\ si=gma a0felw&n). Perhaps, however, the name qeono/h may mean “she who knows divine things” [qei=a noou=sa] better than others (i1swj de\ ou0de\ tau=th|, a0ll’ w(j ta\ qei=a noou/shj au0th=j diafero/ntwj tw~n a1llwn “Qeonoh\n” e0ka/lesen). Nor shall we be far wrong in supposing that the author of it wished to identify this Goddess with moral intelligence [e0n h1qei no/hsin], and therefore gave her the name h0qono/h (ou0de\n de\ a0pe/xei kai\ th\n e0n tw~| h1qei no/hsin w(j ou]san th\n qeo\n tau/thn “H)qono/hn” me\n bou/lesqai proseipei=n); which however, either he or his successors have altered (paragagw_n de\ h2 au0to\j h1 tinej u3steron) into what they thought a nicer form (e0pi\ to\ ka/llion w(j w!|onto), and called her Athene (“A0qhna/an” e0ka/lesan).

Her. But what do you say of Hephaestus (Ti/ de\ dh\ to\n H#faiston, ph=| le/geij;)?

Soc. Speak you of the princely lord of light [fa/eoj i3stora] (H} to\n gennai=on to\n “fa/eoj i3stora” e0rwta=|j;)?

Her. Surely (E!oika).

Soc. H#faistoj is Fai=stoj, and has added the h by attraction; that is obvious to anybody (Ou0kou=n ou[toj me\n panti\ dh=loj “Fai=stoj” w!n, to h proselkusa/manoj;).

Her. That is very probable, until some more probable notion gets into your head (Kinduneu/ei, e0a\n mh\ ph/| soi, w(j e1oiken, e1ti a1llh| do/ch|).

Soc. To prevent that, you had better ask what is the derivation of Ares (A0ll’ i3na mh\ do/ch|, to\n A1rh e0rw&ta),

Her. What is Ares (E0rwtw~)?

Soc. Ares may be called, if you will, from his manhood [a1rren] and manliness (Ou0kou=n, ei0 me\n bou/lei, kata\ to\ a1rren te kai\ kata\ to\ a0ndrei=on “A1rhj” a2n ei1h), or if you please, from his hard and unchangeable nature (ei0 d’ au] kata\ to\ sklhro/n te kai\ a0meta/strofon), which is the meaning of a1rratoj (o9 dh\ “a1rraton” kalei=tai): the latter is a derivation in every way appropriate to the God of war (kai\ tau=th| a2n pantaxh|= polemikw|~ qew~| pre/poi “A1rh” kalei=sqai).

Her. Very true (Pa/nu me\n ou]n).

Soc. And now, by the Gods, let us have no more of the Gods (E0k me\n ou]n tw~n qew~n, pro\j qew~n a0pallagw~men), for I am afraid of them (w(j e0gw_ de/doika peri\ au0tw~n diale/gsqai); ask about anything but them (peri\ de\ a1llwn w{n tinwn bou/lei proba/lle/ moi), and you shalt see how the steeds of Euthyphro can prance (“o1fra i1dhai oi[oi” Eu0qu/fronoj “i3ppoi”).

Her. Only one more God! I should like to know about Hermes (A0lla\ poih/sw tau=ta, e1ti ge e4n e0ro/meno/j se peri\ E(rmou=), of whom I am said not to be true son (e0peidh/ me kai\ ou1 fhsin Kra/tuloj E(rmogenh= ei]nai). Let us make him out (peirw&meqa ou]n to\n “E(rmh=n” ske/yasqai ti/ kai\ noei= to\ o1noma), and then I shall know whether there is any meaning in what Cratylus says (i3na kai\ ei0dw~men ei0 ti\ o3de le/gei).

Soc. I should imagine that the name Hermes has to do with speech (A0lla\ mh\n tou=to/ ge e1oike peri\ lo/gou ti\ ei]nai o9 “E(rmh=j), and signifies that he is an interpreter [e9rmhneu=j], or messenger, or thief, or liar, or bargainer; all that sort of thing has a great deal to do with language (kai\ to\ e9rmhne/a ei]nai kai\ to\ a1ggelon kai\ to\ klopiko/n te kai\ to\ a0pathlo\n e0n lo/goij kai\ to a0gorastiko/n, peri\ lo/gou du/nami/n e0stin pa=sa au3th h9 pragmatei/a); as I was telling you the word ei1rein is expressive of the use of speech (o3per ou]n kai\ e0n toi=j pro/sqen e0le/gomen, to\ “ei1rein” lo/gou xrei/a e0sti/), and there is an often-recurring Homeric word e0mh/sato, which means “he contrived” (to\ de\, oi[on kai\ O#mhroj pollaxou= le/gei, “e0mh/sato/” fhsin, tou=to/ de\ mhxanh/sasqai/ e0stin) – out of these two words, ei1rein and mh/sasqai, the legislator formed the name of the God who invented language and speech (e0c a0mfote/rwn ou]n tou/twn to\n to\ le/gein te kai\ to\n lo/gon mhsa/menon – to\ de\ le/gein dh/ e0stin ei1rein); and we may imagine him dictating to us the use of this name (tou=ton to\n qeo\n w9sperei\ e0pita/ttei h9mi=n o9 nomoqe/thj): “O my friends,” sys he to us, “seeing that he is the contriver of tales or speeches, you might rightly call him Ei0re/mhj” (W} a1nqrwpoi, o4j to\ ei1rein e0mh/sato, dikai/wj a2n kaloi=to u9po\ u9mw~n Ei0re/mhj), and this has been improved by us, as we think, into Hermes (nu=n de\ h9mei=j, w(j oi0o/meqa, kallwpi/zontej to\ o1noma “E9rmh=n” kalou=men). Iris also appears to have been called from the verb “to tell” [ei1rein] (kai\ h3 ge I}rij a0po\ tou= ei1rein e1oike keklhme/nh) because she was a messenger (o3ti a1ggeloj h]n).

Her. Then I am very sure that Cratylus was quite right in saying that I was no true son of Hermes [E(rmoge/nhj] (Nh\ to\n Di/a, eu] a1ra moi dokei= Kratu/loj le/gein to\ e0me\ mh\ ei]nai E(rmoge/nh), for I am not a good hand in speeches (ou1koun eu0mh/xano/j ge/ ei0mi lo/gou).

Soc. There is also reason, my friend, in Pan being the double-formed son of Hermes (Kai\ to/ ge to\n Pa=na tou= E(rmou= ei]nai u9o\n difuh= e1xei to\ ei0ko/j, w} e9tai=re).

Her. How do you make that out (Pw~j dh/;)?

Soc. You are aware that speech signifies all things [pa=n] (O]sqa o3ti o9 lo/goj to\ pa=n shmai/nei), and is always turning them round and round (kai\ kuklei= kai\ polei= a0ei/), and has two forms (kai\ e1sti diplou=j), true and false (a0lhqh/j te kai\ yeudh/j;)?

Her. Certainly (Pa/nu ge).

Soc. Is not the truth that is in him the smooth or sacred form which dwells above among the Gods (Ou0kou=n to\ me\n a0lhqe\j au0tou= lei=on kai\ qei/on kai\ a1nw oi0kou=n e0n toi=j qeoi=j), whereas falsehood dwells among men below (to\ de\ yeu=doj ka/tw e0n toi=j polloi=j tw~n a0nqrw&pwn), and is rough like the goat of tragedy (kai\ traxu\ kai\ tragiko/n); for tales and falsehoods have generally to do with the tragic or goatish life (e0ntau/qa ga\r plei=stoi oi9 mu=qoi/ te kai\ ta\ yeu/dh e0sti/n), and tragedy is the place of them (peri\ to\n tragiko\n bi/on)?

Her. Very true (Pa/nu ge).

Soc. Then surely Pan, who is the declarer of all things [pa=n] and the perpetual mover [a0ei\ polw~n] of all things, is rightly called ai0po/loj [goat-herd] (O)rqw~j a1r’ a2n o9 pa=n mhnu/wn kai\ a0ei\ polw~n “Pa\n ai0po/loj” ei1h), he being the two-formed son of Hermes (difuh\j E(rmou= u9o/j ta\ me\n a1nwqen lei=oj, ta\ de\ ka/twqen traxu\j kai\ tragoeidh/j), he is speech or the brother of speech (kai\ e1stin h1toi lo/goj h2 tou= lo/gou a0delfo\j o9 Pa=n, ei1per E(rmou= u9o/j e0stin), and that brother should be like brother is no marvel (a0delfw~| de\ e0oike/nai a0delfo\n ou0de\n qaumasto/n). 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).