Seite - 792 - in The Complete Plato

ought to be of good cheer, for what would he who is dispirited at a little progress do, if he were making none at all, or even undergoing a repulse? Such a faint heart, as the proverb says, will never take a city: but now that we have succeeded thus far, the citadel is ours, and what remains is easier. THEAETETUS: Very true. STRANGER: Then, as I was saying, let us first of all obtain a conception of language and opinion, in order that we may have clearer grounds for determining, whether not-being has any concern with them, or whether they are both always true, and neither of them ever false. THEAETETUS: True. STRANGER: Then, now, let us speak of names, as before we were speaking of ideas and letters; for that is the direction in which the answer may be expected. THEAETETUS: And what is the question at issue about names? STRANGER: The question at issue is whether all names may be connected with one another, or none, or only some of them. THEAETETUS: Clearly the last is true. STRANGER: I understand you to say that words which have a meaning when in sequence may be connected, but that words which have no meaning when in sequence cannot be connected? THEAETETUS: What are you saying? STRANGER: What I thought that you intended when you gave your assent; for there are two sorts of intimation of being which are given by the voice. THEAETETUS: What are they? STRANGER: One of them is called nouns, and the other verbs. THEAETETUS: Describe them. STRANGER: That which denotes action we call a verb. THEAETETUS: True. STRANGER: And the other, which is an articulate mark set on those who do the actions, we call a noun. THEAETETUS: Quite true. STRANGER: A succession of nouns only is not a sentence, any more than of verbs without nouns. 792