§162ἐπειδὴ δέ φαμεν ἀληθῆ λέγειν, ἀνάγκη ἡμῖν φάναι καὶ ὄντα λέγειν.
And since we say that we speak the truth, it is necessary for us to say that we speak also of things that are.
ἀνάγκη.
Necessary.
ἔστιν ἄρα, ὡς ἔοικε, τὸ ἓν οὐκ ὄν· εἰ γὰρ μὴ ἔσται μὴ ὄν, ἀλλά πῃ τοῦ εἶναι ἀνήσει πρὸς τὸ μὴ εἶναι, εὐθὺς ἔσται ὄν.
There is then, as it seems, being for the non-being one; for if it will not be non-being, but will somehow remit of being in relation to not-being, it will immediately be being.
παντάπασι μὲν οὖν.
Most certainly.
δεῖ ἄρα αὐτὸ δεσμὸν ἔχειν τοῦ μὴ εἶναι τὸ εἶναι μὴ ὄν, εἰ μέλλει μὴ εἶναι, ὁμοίως ὥσπερ τὸ ὂν τὸ μὴ ὂν ἔχειν μὴ εἶναι, ἵνα τελέως αὖ ᾖ·
Therefore, it must have, as a bond of its not-being, the "being non-being," if it is to be not-being, just as that which is must have "not being non-being," in order that it in turn may completely be.
οὕτως γὰρ ἂν τό τε ὂν μάλιστʼ ἂν εἴη καὶ τὸ μὴ ὂν οὐκ ἂν εἴη, μετέχοντα τὸ μὲν ὂν οὐσίας τοῦ εἶναι ὄν, μὴ οὐσίας δὲ τοῦ μὴ εἶναι μὴ ὄν, εἰ μέλλει τελέως εἶναι, τὸ δὲ μὴ ὂν μὴ οὐσίας μὲν τοῦ μὴ εἶναι ὄν, οὐσίας δὲ τοῦ εἶναι μὴ ὄν, εἰ καὶ τὸ μὴ ὂν αὖ τελέως μὴ ἔσται.
For in this way, that which is would most of all be, and that which is not would not be, participating, on the one hand, that which is, in the substance of being being, and in the non-substance of not-being non-being, if it is to be completely; and on the other hand, that which is not, in the non-substance of not-being being, and in the substance of being non-being, if also that which is not is in turn to be completely not-being.
ἀληθέστατα.
Most true.
οὐκοῦν ἐπείπερ τῷ τε ὄντι τοῦ μὴ εἶναι καὶ τῷ μὴ ὄντι τοῦ εἶναι μέτεστι, καὶ τῷ ἑνί, ἐπειδὴ οὐκ ἔστι, τοῦ εἶναι ἀνάγκη μετεῖναι εἰς τὸ μὴ εἶναι.
Therefore, since both that which is participates in not-being, and that which is not in being, so also the one, since it is not, must participate in being with a view to its not-being.
ἀνάγκη.
Necessary.
καὶ οὐσία δὴ φαίνεται τῷ ἑνί, εἰ μὴ ἔστιν.
And indeed, substance appears to belong to the one, if it is not.
φαίνεται.
It appears so.
καὶ μὴ οὐσία ἄρα, εἴπερ μὴ ἔστιν.
And also non-substance, then, if indeed it is not.
πῶς δʼ οὔ;
How could it not be?
οἷόν τε οὖν τὸ ἔχον πως μὴ ἔχειν οὕτω, μὴ μεταβάλλον ἐκ ταύτης τῆς ἕξεως;
Is it possible, then, for that which is in some state not to be in that state, without changing from this condition?
οὐχ οἷόν τε.
It is not possible.
πᾶν ἄρα τὸ τοιοῦτον μεταβολὴν σημαίνει, ὃ ἂν οὕτω τε καὶ μὴ οὕτως ἔχῃ.
Therefore, everything of this kind signifies change, which is in this state and not in this state.
πῶς δʼ οὔ;
How could it not be?
μεταβολὴ δὲ κίνησις·
And is change motion?
ἢ τί φήσομεν;
Or what shall we say?
κίνησις.
Motion.
οὐκοῦν τὸ ἓν ὄν τε καὶ οὐκ ὂν ἐφάνη;
Did the one not appear both to be and not to be?
ναί.
Yes.
οὕτως ἄρα καὶ οὐχ οὕτως ἔχον φαίνεται.
Therefore, it appears to be in this state and not in this state.
ἔοικεν.
It seems so.
καὶ κινούμενον ἄρα τὸ οὐκ ὂν ἓν πέφανται, ἐπείπερ καὶ μεταβολὴν ἐκ τοῦ εἶναι ἐπὶ τὸ μὴ εἶναι ἔχον.
And therefore, the non-being one has been shown to be in motion, since it also has change from being to not-being.
κινδυνεύει.
Likely.
ἀλλὰ μὴν εἰ μηδαμοῦ γέ ἐστι τῶν ὄντων, ὡς οὐκ ἔστιν εἴπερ μὴ ἔστιν, οὐδʼ ἂν μεθίσταιτό ποθέν ποι.
And yet, if it is nowhere among the things that are, as indeed it is not if it is not, it could not move from somewhere to somewhere.
πῶς γάρ;
How indeed?
οὐκ ἄρα τῷ γε μεταβαίνειν κινοῖτʼ ἄν.
Therefore, it would not move by shifting its place.
οὐ γάρ.
Indeed not.
οὐδὲ μὴν ἐν τῷ αὐτῷ ἂν στρέφοιτο· ταὐτοῦ γὰρ οὐδαμοῦ ἅπτεται.
Nor indeed would it rotate in the same place; for it nowhere touches the same.
ὂν γὰρ ἐστὶ τὸ ταὐτόν· τὸ δὲ μὴ ὂν ἔν τῳ τῶν ὄντων ἀδύνατον εἶναι.
For the same is one of the things that are, and it is impossible for that which is not to be in any of the things that are.
ἀδύνατον γάρ.
For it is impossible.
οὐκ ἄρα τὸ ἕν γε μὴ ὂν στρέφεσθαι ἂν δύναιτο ἐν ἐκείνῳ ἐν ᾧ μὴ ἔστιν.
Therefore, the non-being one would not be able to rotate in that in which it is not.
οὐ γὰρ οὖν.
Certainly not.
οὐδὲ μὴν ἀλλοιοῦταί που τὸ ἓν ἑαυτοῦ, οὔτε τὸ ὂν οὔτε τὸ μὴ ὄν· οὐ γὰρ ἂν ἦν ὁ λόγος ἔτι περὶ τοῦ ἑνός, εἴπερ ἠλλοιοῦτο αὐτὸ ἑαυτοῦ, ἀλλὰ περὶ ἄλλου τινός.
Nor indeed does the one change from itself, whether it is being or non-being; for the discourse would no longer be about the one, if it changed from itself, but about something else.
ὀρθῶς.
Right.
εἰ δὲ μήτʼ ἀλλοιοῦται μήτε ἐν ταὐτῷ στρέφεται μήτε μεταβαίνει, ἆρʼ ἄν πῃ ἔτι κινοῖτο;
But if it neither changes, nor rotates in the same place, nor shifts its place, could it still move in any way?
πῶς γάρ;
How indeed?
τό γε μὴν ἀκίνητον ἀνάγκη ἡσυχίαν ἄγειν, τὸ δὲ ἡσυχάζον ἑστάναι.
But that which is unmoved must keep still, and that which keeps still must stand.
ἀνάγκη.
Necessary.
τὸ ἓν ἄρα, ὡς ἔοικεν, οὐκ ὂν ἕστηκέ τε καὶ κινεῖται.
Therefore, as it seems, the non-being one both stands and is in motion.
ἔοικεν.
It seems so.