Note 25 — Chapter XXIX · SOPHISTES — POLITIKUS.

Though the advice here given by Plato about the principles of classification is very judicious, yet he has himself in this same dialogue set an example of repugnance to act upon it (Sophist. p. 231 A-B.) In following out his own descending series of partitions, he finds that the Sophist corresponds with the great mental purifier — the person who applies the Elenchus or cross-examining test, to youthful minds, so as to clear out that false persuasion of knowledge which is the great bar to all improvement. But though brought by his own process to this point, Plato shrinks from admitting it. His dislike towards the Sophist will not allow him. “The Sophist is indeed” (he says) “very like to this grand educator: but so also a wolf is very like to a dog — the most savage of animals to the most gentle. We must always be extremely careful about these likenesses: the whole body of them are most slippery. Still we cannot help admitting the Sophist to represent this improving process — that is, the high and true bred Sophist.”

It will be seen that Plato’s remark here about ὁμοιότητες contradicts what he had himself said before (p. 227 B). The reluctance to rank dog and wolf together, in the same class, is an exact specimen of that very mistake which he had been just pointing out for correction. The scientific resemblance between the two animals is very close; but the antithesis of sentiment, felt by men towards the one and the other, is extreme.