§394ΣΩ. οὐκοῦν καὶ περὶ βασιλέως ὁ αὐτὸς λόγος;
SOCRATES: Is not, then, the same argument applicable to a king?
ἔσται γάρ ποτε ἐκ βασιλέως βασιλεύς, καὶ ἐξ ἀγαθοῦ ἀγαθός, καὶ ἐκ καλοῦ καλός, καὶ τἆλλα πάντα οὕτως, ἐξ ἑκάστου γένους ἕτερον τοιοῦτον ἔκγονον, ἐὰν μὴ τέρας γίγνηται· κλητέον δὴ ταὐτὰ ὀνόματα.
For there will sometimes be born from a king a king, and from a good man a good man, and from a beautiful man a beautiful man, and all other things likewise, from each genus another such offspring, unless a monster is born; so they must be called by the same names.
ποικίλλειν δὲ ἔξεστι ταῖς συλλαβαῖς, ὥστε δόξαι ἂν τῷ ἰδιωτικῶς ἔχοντι ἕτερα εἶναι ἀλλήλων τὰ αὐτὰ ὄντα· ὥσπερ ἡμῖν τὰ τῶν ἰατρῶν φάρμακα χρώμασιν καὶ ὀσμαῖς πεποικιλμένα ἄλλα φαίνεται τὰ αὐτὰ ὄντα, τῷ δέ γε ἰατρῷ, ἅτε τὴν δύναμιν τῶν φαρμάκων σκοπουμένῳ, τὰ αὐτὰ φαίνεται, καὶ οὐκ ἐκπλήττεται ὑπὸ τῶν προσόντων.
But it is possible to vary them in their syllables, so that to a layman they might seem to be different from one another, though they are the same; just as to us the medicines of physicians, varied with colors and odors, appear to be different though they are the same, while to the physician, since he observes the power of the medicines, they appear the same, and he is not bewildered by the additions.
οὕτω δὲ ἴσως καὶ ὁ ἐπιστάμενος περὶ ὀνομάτων τὴν δύναμιν αὐτῶν σκοπεῖ, καὶ οὐκ ἐκπλήττεται εἴ τι πρόσκειται γράμμα ἢ μετάκειται ἢ ἀφῄρηται, ἢ καὶ ἐν ἄλλοις παντάπασιν γράμμασίν ἐστιν ἡ τοῦ ὀνόματος δύναμις.
In the same way perhaps he who understands about names observes their power, and is not bewildered if some letter is added, transposed, or taken away, or if the power of the name is in entirely different letters.
ὥσπερ ὃ νυνδὴ ἐλέγομεν,
Ἀστυάναξ
τε καὶ
Ἕκτωρ
οὐδὲν τῶν αὐτῶν γραμμάτων ἔχει πλὴν τοῦ ταῦ, ἀλλʼ ὅμως ταὐτὸν σημαίνει.
Just as we were saying just now, "Astyanax" and "Hector" have none of the same letters except tau, but nevertheless they signify the same thing.
καὶ
Ἀρχέπολίς
γε τῶν μὲν γραμμάτων τί ἐπικοινωνεῖ;
And as for "Archepolis," what does it share in terms of letters?
δηλοῖ δὲ ὅμως τὸ αὐτό·
Yet it shows the same thing.
καὶ ἄλλα πολλά ἐστιν ἃ οὐδὲν ἀλλʼ ἢ βασιλέα σημαίνει· καὶ ἄλλα γε αὖ στρατηγόν, οἷον
Ἆγις
καὶ
Πολέμαρχος
καὶ
Εὐπόλεμος
. καὶ ἰατρικά γε ἕτερα,
Ἰατροκλῆς
καὶ
Ἀκεσίμβροτος
· καὶ ἕτερα ἂν ἴσως συχνὰ εὕροιμεν ταῖς μὲν συλλαβαῖς καὶ τοῖς γράμμασι διαφωνοῦντα, τῇ δὲ δυνάμει ταὐτὸν φθεγγόμενα.
And there are many other names which signify nothing but "king"; and others again "general," such as "Agis," "Polemarchus," and "Eupolemos." And others relating to medicine, "Iatrocles" and "Acesimbrotus." And we might perhaps find many other names that differ in syllables and letters, but sound the same in power.
φαίνεται οὕτως ἢ οὔ;
Does it seem so, or not?
ΕΡΜ. πάνυ μὲν οὖν.
HERMOGENES: Yes, absolutely.
ΣΩ. τοῖς μὲν δὴ κατὰ φύσιν γιγνομένοις τὰ αὐτὰ ἀποδοτέον ὀνόματα.
SOCRATES: To those indeed born according to nature, the same names must be assigned.
ΕΡΜ. πάνυ γε.
HERMOGENES: Certainly.
ΣΩ. τί δὲ τοῖς παρὰ φύσιν, οἳ ἂν ἐν τέρατος εἴδει γένωνται;
SOCRATES: But what of those contrary to nature, who are born in the form of a monster?
οἷον ὅταν ἐξ ἀνδρὸς ἀγαθοῦ καὶ θεοσεβοῦς ἀσεβὴς γένηται, ἆρʼ οὐχ ὥσπερ ἐν τοῖς ἔμπροσθεν, κἂν ἵππος βοὸς ἔκγονον τέκῃ, οὐ τοῦ τεκόντος δήπου ἔδει τὴν ἐπωνυμίαν ἔχειν, ἀλλὰ τοῦ γένους οὗ εἴη;
For instance, when an impious son is born from a good and god-fearing man, is it not just as in the previous cases, that if a horse should bring forth the offspring of an ox, it should not have the name of the parent that brought it forth, but of the genus to which it belongs?
ΕΡΜ. πάνυ γε.
HERMOGENES: Certainly.
ΣΩ. καὶ τῷ ἐκ τοῦ εὐσεβοῦς ἄρα γενομένῳ ἀσεβεῖ τὸ τοῦ γένους ὄνομα ἀποδοτέον.
SOCRATES: And to the impious one born from the pious father, therefore, the name of his genus must be assigned.
ΕΡΜ. ἔστι ταῦτα.
HERMOGENES: That is so.
ΣΩ. οὐ
Θεόφιλον,
ὡς ἔοικεν, οὐδὲ
Μνησίθεον
οὐδὲ τῶν τοιούτων οὐδέν· ἀλλʼ ὅτι τἀναντία τούτοις σημαίνει, ἐάνπερ τῆς ὀρθότητος τυγχάνῃ τὰ ὀνόματα.
SOCRATES: He should not be called "Theophilus," as it seems, nor "Mnesitheus," nor any of such names; but, if the names are to hit upon correctness, one that signifies the opposite of these.
ΕΡΜ. παντός γε μᾶλλον, ὦ Σώκρατες.
HERMOGENES: Assuredly, Socrates.
ΣΩ. ὥσπερ γε καὶ ὁ
Ὀρέστης,
ὦ Ἑρμόγενες, κινδυνεύει ὀρθῶς ἔχειν, εἴτε τις τύχη ἔθετο αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα εἴτε καὶ ποιητής τις, τὸ θηριῶδες τῆς φύσεως καὶ τὸ ἄγριον αὐτοῦ καὶ τὸ ὀρεινὸν ἐνδεικνύμενος τῷ ὀνόματι.
SOCRATES: Just as "Orestes" too, Hermogenes, is likely to be correctly named, whether some chance gave him the name or some poet, indicating the beast-like, wild, and mountain-like nature of his character by the name.
§395ΕΡΜ. φαίνεται οὕτως, ὦ Σώκρατες.
HERMOGENES: It seems so, Socrates.
ΣΩ. ἔοικεν δέ γε καὶ τῷ πατρὶ αὐτοῦ κατὰ φύσιν τὸ ὄνομα εἶναι.
SOCRATES: And indeed his father's name too seems to be according to nature.
ΕΡΜ. φαίνεται.
HERMOGENES: It seems so.
ΣΩ. κινδυνεύει γὰρ τοιοῦτός τις εἶναι ὁ
Ἀγαμέμνων,
οἷος ἃ δόξειεν αὐτῷ διαπονεῖσθαι καὶ καρτερεῖν τέλος ἐπιτιθεὶς τοῖς δόξασι διʼ ἀρετήν.
SOCRATES: For "Agamemnon" is likely to be such a person, one who would labor through and endure what seemed good to him, putting an end to what was decided because of virtue.
σημεῖον δὲ αὐτοῦ ἡ ἐν Τροίᾳ μονὴ τοῦ πάθους τε καὶ καρτερίας.
And the proof of this is his staying at Troy with patience and endurance.
ὅτι οὖν ἀγαστὸς κατὰ τὴν ἐπιμονὴν οὗτος ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐνσημαίνει τὸ ὄνομα ὁ
Ἀγαμέμνων.
That this man is therefore admirable for his persistence is what the name "Agamemnon" signifies.
ἴσως δὲ καὶ ὁ
Ἀτρεὺς
ὀρθῶς ἔχει.
And perhaps "Atreus" too is correct.
ὅ τε γὰρ τοῦ Χρυσίππου αὐτῷ φόνος καὶ ἃ πρὸς τὸν Θυέστην ὡς ὠμὰ διεπράττετο, πάντα ταῦτα ζημιώδη καὶ ἀτηρὰ πρὸς ἀρετήν.
For both the murder of Chrysippus by him and his cruel deeds toward Thyestes were all damaging and ruinous to virtue.
ἡ οὖν τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐπωνυμία σμικρὸν παρακλίνει καὶ ἐπικεκάλυπται, ὥστε μὴ πᾶσι δηλοῦν τὴν φύσιν τοῦ ἀνδρός· τοῖς δʼ ἐπαΐουσι περὶ ὀνομάτων ἱκανῶς δηλοῖ ὃ βούλεται ὁ
Ἀτρεύς.
Therefore, the appellation of the name declines slightly and has been covered up, so as not to show the nature of the man to everyone; but to those who understand about names, "Atreus" sufficiently shows what it wants.
καὶ γὰρ κατὰ τὸ ἀτειρὲς καὶ κατὰ τὸ ἄτρεστον καὶ κατὰ τὸ ἀτηρὸν πανταχῇ ὀρθῶς αὐτῷ τὸ ὄνομα κεῖται.
For both according to the stubborn, the fearless, and the ruinous, in every way the name is correctly established for him.
δοκεῖ δέ μοι καὶ τῷ Πέλοπι τὸ ὄνομα ἐμμέτρως κεῖσθαι· σημαίνει γὰρ τοῦτο τὸ ὄνομα τὸν τὰ ἐγγὺς ὁρῶντα.
And it seems to me that the name is also appropriately given to Pelops; for this name signifies the one who sees what is near.
ΕΡΜ. πῶς δή;
HERMOGENES: How so?
ΣΩ. οἷόν που καὶ κατʼ ἐκείνου λέγεται τοῦ ἀνδρὸς ἐν τῷ τοῦ Μυρτίλου φόνῳ οὐδὲν οἵου τε γενέσθαι προνοηθῆναι οὐδὲ προϊδεῖν τῶν πόρρω τῶν εἰς τὸ πᾶν γένος, ὅσης αὐτὸ δυστυχίας ἐνεπίμπλη, τὸ ἐγγὺς μόνον ὁρῶν καὶ τὸ παραχρῆμα—τοῦτο δʼ ἐστὶ
πέλας
—ἡνίκα προεθυμεῖτο λαβεῖν παντὶ τρόπῳ τὸν τῆς Ἱπποδαμείας γάμον.
SOCRATES: In that it is said of that man in the murder of Myrtilus that he was unable to foresee or look forward to the distant things regarding his whole race, with how great misfortune he was filling it, seeing only what was near and immediate—which is "elas"—when he was eager to obtain by every means the marriage of Hippodameia.
τῷ δὲ Ταντάλῳ καὶ πᾶς ἂν ἡγήσαιτο τοὔνομα ὀρθῶς καὶ κατὰ φύσιν τεθῆναι εἰ ἀληθῆ τὰ περὶ αὐτὸν λεγόμενα.
And to Tantalus everyone would think the name was established correctly and according to nature, if the things said about him are true.
ΕΡΜ. τὰ ποῖα ταῦτα;
HERMOGENES: What sort of things are these?
ΣΩ. ἅ τέ που ἔτι ζῶντι δυστυχήματα ἐγένετο πολλὰ καὶ δεινά, ὧν καὶ τέλος ἡ πατρὶς αὐτοῦ ὅλη ἀνετράπετο, καὶ τελευτήσαντι ἐν Ἅιδου ἡ ὑπὲρ τῆς κεφαλῆς τοῦ λίθου ταλαντεία θαυμαστὴ ὡς σύμφωνος τῷ ὀνόματι· καὶ ἀτεχνῶς ἔοικεν, ὥσπερ ἂν εἴ τις βουλόμενος ταλάντατον ὀνομάσαι ἀποκρυπτόμενος ὀνομάσειε καὶ εἴποι ἀντʼ ἐκείνου
Τάνταλον,
τοιοῦτόν τι καὶ τούτῳ τὸ ὄνομα ἔοικεν ἐκπορίσαι ἡ τύχη τῆς φήμης.
SOCRATES: Both the many and terrible misfortunes that befell him while still living, of which the end was that his whole homeland was overturned, and, after he died, the wonderful balancing of the stone over his head in Hades, which is wonderfully in harmony with his name; and it seems absolutely as if someone, wishing to name him "talantatos" but concealing it, named him and said "Tantalus" instead of that; some such name fortune seems to have provided for him from his reputation.