Parmenides by Plato. - HTML preview

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67

Parmenides

Certainly.

any place, for it cannot be either in another or in Then the one, having neither beginning nor itself.

end, is unlimited?

How so?

Yes, unlimited.

Because if it were in another, it would be en-And therefore formless; for it cannot partake circled by that in which it was, and would touch either of round or straight.

it at many places and with many parts; but that But why?

which is one and indivisible, and does not par-Why, because the round is that of which all the take of a circular nature, cannot be touched all extreme points are equidistant from the centre?

round in many places.

Yes.

Certainly not.

And the straight is that of which the centre But if, on the other hand, one were in itself, it intercepts the view of the extremes?

would also be contained by nothing else but it-True.

self; that is to say, if it were really in itself; for Then the one would have parts and would be nothing can be in anything which does not con-many, if it partook either of a straight or of a cir-tain it.

cular form?

Impossible.

Assuredly.

But then, that which contains must be other But having no parts, it will be neither straight than that which is contained? for the same whole nor round?

cannot do and suffer both at once; and if so, one Right.

will be no longer one, but two?

And, being of such a nature, it cannot be in True.