Note 75 — Chapter XXIX · SOPHISTES — POLITIKUS.

Plato, Sophist. p. 259 A-C. ὃ δὲ νῦν εἰρήκαμεν εἶναι τὸ μὴ ὄν, ἢ πεισάτω τις ὡς οὐ καλῶς λέγομεν ἐλέγξας, ἢ μέχρι περ ἂν ἀδυνατῇ, λεκτέον καὶ ἐκεῖνῳ καθάπερ ἡμεῖς λέγομεν … τὸ ταῦτα ἐάσαντα ὡς δυνατά.…

The language of the Eleate here is altogether at variance with the spirit of Plato in his negative or Searching Dialogues. To say, as he does, “Either accept the explanation which I give, or propose a better of your own” — is a dilemma which the Sokrates of the Theætêtus, and other dialogues, would have declined altogether. The complaint here made by the Eleate, against disputants who did nothing but propound difficulties — is the same as that which the hearers of Sokrates made against him (see Plato, Philêbus, p. 20 A, where the remark is put into the mouth, not of an opponent, but of a respectful young listener); and many a reader of the Platonic Parmenidês has indulged in the complaint.