Note 31 — Chapter XXXI · KRATYLUS.

Dionys. Hal. De Comp. Verb. a. 16, p. 196, Schaefer. τὰ κράτιστα δὲ νέμω, ὡς πρώτῳ τὸν ὑπὲρ ἐτυμολογίας εἰσάγοντι λόγον, Πλάτωνι τῷ Σωκρατικῷ, πολλαχῇ μὲν καὶ ἄλλοθι, μάλιστα δὲ ἐν τῷ Κρατύλῳ.

About Plato’s etymologies, as seriously intended, see Plutarch, De Iside et Osiride, p. 375 C-D-E, with the note of Wyttenbach. Harris, in his Hermes (pp. 369-370-407), alludes to the etymologies of Plato in the Kratylus as being ingenious, though disputable, but not at all as being derisory caricatures. Indeed the etymology of Scientia, which he cites from Scaliger, p. 370, is quite as singular as any in the Kratylus. Sydenham (Notes to the translation of Plato’s Philêbus, p. 35) calls the Kratylus “a dialogue, in which is taught the nature of things, as well the permanent as the transient, from a supposed etymology of names and words.

I find, in the very instructive comments of Bishop Colenso on the Pentateuch (Part iv. ch. 24, p. 250), a citation from St. Augustine, illustrating the view which I believe Plato to have taken of these etymologies: “Quo loco prorsus non arbitror prætereundum, quod pater Valerius animadvertit admirans, in quorundam rusticanorum (i.e., Africans, near Carthage) collocutione. Cum enim alter alteri dixisset Salus — quæsivit ab eo, qui et Latiné nosset et Punicé, quid esset Salus: responsum est, Tria. Tum ille agnoscens cum gaudio, salutem nostram esse Trinitatem, convenientiam linguarum non fortuitu sic sonuisse arbitratus est, sed occultissimâ dispensatione divinæ providentiæ — ut cum Latiné nominatur Salus, à Punicis intelligantur Tria — et cum Punici linguâ suâ Tria nominant, Latiné intelligatur Salus … Sed hæc verborum consonantia, sive provenerit sive provisa sit, non pugnaciter agendum est ut ei quisque consentiat, sed quantum interpretantis elegantiam hilaritas audientis admittit.”

So in the etymologies of the Kratylus: Plato follows out threads of analogy, which, with indulgent hearers, he reckons will be sufficient for proof: and which, even when not accepted as proof, will be pleasing to the fancy of unbelieving hearers, as they are to his own. There is no intention to caricature: no obvious absurdities piled up with a view to caricature.