Page - 882 - in The Complete Plato

however, that if I could hear the argument repeated by you once or twice, there would be a substantial agreement between us. SOCRATES: Yes, and I will try to meet your wish; but, as I would rather not waste time in the enumeration of endless particulars, let me know whether I may not assume as a note of the infinite— PROTARCHUS: What? SOCRATES: I want to know whether such things as appear to us to admit of more or less, or are denoted by the words ‘exceedingly,’ ‘gently,’ ‘extremely,’ and the like, may not be referred to the class of the infinite, which is their unity, for, as was asserted in the previous argument, all things that were divided and dispersed should be brought together, and have the mark or seal of some one nature, if possible, set upon them—do you remember? PROTARCHUS: Yes. SOCRATES: And all things which do not admit of more or less, but admit their opposites, that is to say, first of all, equality, and the equal, or again, the double, or any other ratio of number and measure—all these may, I think, be rightly reckoned by us in the class of the limited or finite; what do you say? PROTARCHUS: Excellent, Socrates. SOCRATES: And now what nature shall we ascribe to the third or compound kind? PROTARCHUS: You, I think, will have to tell me that. SOCRATES: Rather God will tell you, if there be any God who will listen to my prayers. PROTARCHUS: Offer up a prayer, then, and think. SOCRATES: I am thinking, Protarchus, and I believe that some God has befriended us. PROTARCHUS: What do you mean, and what proof have you to offer of what you are saying? SOCRATES: I will tell you, and do you listen to my words. PROTARCHUS: Proceed. SOCRATES: Were we not speaking just now of hotter and colder? PROTARCHUS: True. SOCRATES: Add to them drier, wetter, more, less, swifter, slower, greater, 882