Note 20 — Chapter XXIX · SOPHISTES — POLITIKUS.
Reading edition
Plato, Sophist. p. 225 C.
Ξένος. — Τοῦ δὲ ἀντιλογικοῦ, τὸ μὲν ὅσον περὶ τὰ ξυμβολαῖα ἀμφισβητεῖται μέν, εἰκῆ δὲ καὶ ἀτεχνῶς περὶ αὐτὸ πράττεται, ταῦτα θετέον μὲν εἶδος, ἐπείπερ αὐτὸ διέγνωκεν ὡς ἕτερον ὂν ὁ λόγος· ἀτὰρ ἐπωνυμίας οὔθ’ ὑπὸ τῶν ἔμπροσθεν ἔτυχεν, οὔτε νῦν ὑφ’ ἡμῶν τυχεῖν ἄξιον.
Θεαιτητ. — Ἀληθῆ· κατὰ σμικρὰ γὰρ λίαν καὶ παντοδαπὰ διῄρηται.
These words illustrate Plato’s view of an εἶδος or species. Any distinguishable attributes, however petty, and however multifarious, might be taken to form a species upon; but if they were petty and multifarious, there was no advantage in bestowing a specific name.