§301ΙΠ. τέρατα αὖ ἀποκρινομένῳ ἔοικας, ὦ Σώκρατες, ἔτι μείζω ἢ ὀλίγον πρότερον ἀπεκρίνω.
HIPPIAS: "You seem to be answering with monsters again, Socrates, even greater than what you answered a little while ago.
σκόπει γάρ· πότερον εἰ ἀμφότεροι δίκαιοί ἐσμεν, οὐ καὶ ἑκάτερος ἡμῶν εἴη ἄν, ἢ εἰ ἄδικος ἑκάτερος, οὐ καὶ ἀμφότεροι, ἢ εἰ ὑγιαίνοντες, οὐ καὶ ἑκάτερος;
For consider: if we are both of us just, would not each of us also be so? Or if each is unjust, would not both also be so? Or if healthy, would not each also be so?
ἢ εἰ κεκμηκώς τι ἢ τετρωμένος ἢ πεπληγμένος ἢ ἄλλʼ ὁτιοῦν πεπονθὼς ἑκάτερος ἡμῶν εἴη, οὐ καὶ ἀμφότεροι αὖ ἂν τοῦτο πεπόνθοιμεν;
Or if each of us should be tired, or wounded, or struck, or have experienced any other thing whatsoever, would not both of us again have experienced this?
ἔτι τοίνυν εἰ χρυσοῖ ἢ ἀργυροῖ ἢ ἐλεφάντινοι, εἰ δὲ βούλει, γενναῖοι ἢ σοφοὶ ἢ τίμιοι ἢ γέροντές γε ἢ νέοι ἢ ἄλλο ὅτι βούλει τῶν ἐν ἀνθρώποις ἀμφότεροι τύχοιμεν ὄντες, ἆρʼ οὐ μεγάλη ἀνάγκη καὶ ἑκάτερον ἡμῶν τοῦτο εἶναι; ΣΩ. πάντως γε δήπου. ΙΠ. ἀλλὰ γὰρ δὴ σύ, ὦ Σώκρατες, τὰ μὲν ὅλα τῶν πραγμάτων οὐ σκοπεῖς, οὐδʼ ἐκεῖνοι οἷς σὺ εἴωθας διαλέγεσθαι, κρούετε δὲ ἀπολαμβάνοντες τὸ καλὸν καὶ ἕκαστον τῶν ὄντων ἐν τοῖς λόγοις κατατέμνοντες.
Furthermore, if both of us should happen to be golden or silver or ivory, or, if you please, noble or wise or honored or old or young, or anything else you please of the things among men, is there not a great necessity that each of us also be this?" SOCRATES: "By all means, surely." HIPPIAS: "But indeed, Socrates, you do not look at the wholes of things, nor do those with whom you are accustomed to converse; but you strike by taking the beautiful and each of existing things and cutting them up in your discussions.
διὰ ταῦτα οὕτω μεγάλα ὑμᾶς λανθάνει καὶ διανεκῆ σώματα τῆς οὐσίας πεφυκότα.
Because of this, such great and continuous bodies of reality, as they are by nature, escape your notice.
καὶ νῦν τοσοῦτόν σε λέληθεν, ὥστε οἴει εἶναί τι ἢ πάθος ἢ οὐσίαν, ἣ περὶ μὲν ἀμφότερα ταῦτα ἔστιν ἅμα, περὶ δὲ ἑκάτερον οὔ, ἢ αὖ περὶ μὲν ἑκάτερον, περὶ δὲ ἀμφότερα οὔ·
And now so much has escaped you that you think there is some attribute or reality which belongs to both of these together, but not to each, or again to each, but not to both.
οὕτως ἀλογίστως καὶ ἀσκέπτως καὶ εὐήθως καὶ ἀδιανοήτως διάκεισθε. ΣΩ. τοιαῦτα, ὦ Ἱππία, τὰ ἡμέτερά ἐστιν, οὐχ οἷα βούλεταί τις, φασὶν ἄνθρωποι ἑκάστοτε παροιμιαζόμενοι, ἀλλʼ οἷα δύναται·
So irrationally and unreflectively and foolishly and mindlessly are you disposed." SOCRATES: "Such, Hippias, are our affairs—not as one wishes, as men say on each occasion in the proverb, but as one is able.
ἀλλὰ σὺ ἡμᾶς ὀνίνης ἀεὶ νουθετῶν.
But you always benefit us by admonishing us.
ἐπεὶ καὶ νῦν, πρὶν ὑπὸ σοῦ ταῦτα νουθετηθῆναι, ὡς εὐήθως διεκείμεθα, ἔτι σοι μᾶλλον ἐγὼ ἐπιδείξω εἰπὼν ἃ διενοούμεθα περὶ αὐτῶν, ἢ μὴ εἴπω; ΙΠ. εἰδότι μὲν ἐρεῖς, ὦ Σώκρατες· οἶδα γὰρ ἑκάστους τῶν περὶ τοὺς λόγους ὡς διάκεινται.
Since indeed even now, before being admonished in this by you, how foolishly we were disposed I will show you still more by telling you what we were thinking about them—or shall I not speak?" HIPPIAS: "You will be speaking to one who knows, Socrates; for I know how each of those who occupy themselves with discussions is disposed.
ὅμως δʼ εἴ τι σοὶ ἥδιον, λέγε. ΣΩ. ἀλλὰ μὴν ἥδιόν γε.
Nevertheless, if it is more pleasant to you, speak." SOCRATES: "But indeed it is more pleasant.
ἡμεῖς γάρ, ὦ βέλτιστε, οὕτως ἀβέλτεροι ἦμεν, πρίν σε ταῦτʼ εἰπεῖν, ὥστε δόξαν εἴχομεν περὶ ἐμοῦ τε καὶ σοῦ ὡς ἑκάτερος ἡμῶν εἷς ἐστι, τοῦτο δὲ ὃ ἑκάτερος ἡμῶν εἴη οὐκ ἄρα εἶμεν ἀμφότεροι—οὐ γὰρ εἷς ἐσμεν, ἀλλὰ δύο—οὕτως εὐηθικῶς εἴχομεν·
For we, my excellent friend, were so silly before you said this, that we held an opinion about myself and you, that each of us is one, but that this which each of us would be, both of us were not—for we are not one, but two—so foolishly were we disposed.
νῦν δὲ παρὰ σοῦ ἤδη ἀνεδιδάχθημεν ὅτι εἰ μὲν δύο ἀμφότεροί ἐσμεν, δύο καὶ ἑκάτερον ἡμῶν ἀνάγκη εἶναι, εἰ δὲ εἷς ἑκάτερος, ἕνα καὶ ἀμφοτέρους ἀνάγκη· οὐ γὰρ οἷόν τε διανεκεῖ λόγῳ τῆς οὐσίας κατὰ Ἱππίαν ἄλλως ἔχειν, ἀλλʼ ὃ ἂν ἀμφότερα ᾖ, τοῦτο καὶ ἑκάτερον, καὶ ὃ ἑκάτερον, ἀμφότερα εἶναι.
But now, having been re-educated by you, we understand that if both of us are two, each of us must also be two, and if each of us is one, both must also be one; for it is not possible otherwise according to the continuous account of reality according to Hippias, but whatever both are, this each is also, and whatever each is, both are.
πεπεισμένος δὴ νῦν ἐγὼ ὑπὸ σοῦ ἐνθάδε κάθημαι.
Persuaded indeed now by you, I sit here.
πρότερον μέντοι, ὦ Ἱππία, ὑπόμνησόν με· πότερον εἷς ἐσμεν ἐγώ τε καὶ σύ, ἢ σύ τε δύο εἶ κἀγὼ δύο; ΙΠ. τί λέγεις, ὦ Σώκρατες;
First, however, Hippias, remind me: are you and I one, or are you two and I two?" HIPPIAS: "What are you saying, Socrates?"