Let us do as you say.
Impossible.
If one is not, we ask what will happen in re-The one then, since it in no way is, cannot have spect of one? That is the question.
or lose or assume being in any way?
Yes.
True.
Do not the words ‘is not’ signify absence of Then the one that is not, since it in no way being in that to which we apply them?
partakes of being, neither perishes nor becomes?
Just so.
No.
And when we say that a thing is not, do we Then it is not altered at all; for if it were it would mean that it is not in one way but is in another?
become and be destroyed?
or do we mean, absolutely, that what is not has True.
in no sort or way or kind participation of being?
But if it be not altered it cannot be moved?
Quite absolutely.
Certainly not.
Then, that which is not cannot be, or in any Nor can we say that it stands, if it is nowhere; way participate in being?
for that which stands must always be in one and It cannot.
the same spot?
And did we not mean by becoming, and being Of course.
destroyed, the assumption of being and the loss Then we must say that the one which is not of being?
never stands still and never moves?
Nothing else.
Neither.
And can that which has no participation in be-Nor is there any existing thing which can be ing, either assume or lose being?
attributed to it; for if there had been, it would 113
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partake of being?
Then the one that is not has no condition of That is clear.
any kind?
And therefore neither smallness, nor greatness, Such appears to be the conclusion.
nor equality, can be attributed to it?
2.aa. Yet once more; if one is not, what becomes No.
of the others? Let us determine that.
Nor yet likeness nor difference, either in rela-Yes; let us determine that.
tion to itself or to others?
The others must surely be; for if they, like the Clearly not.
one, were not, we could not be now speaking of Well, and if nothing should be attributed to it, them.
can other things be attributed to it?
True.
Certainly not.
But to speak of the others implies difference—
And therefore other things can neither be like the terms ‘other’ and ‘different’ are synony-or unlike, the same, or different in relation to it?
mous?
They cannot.
True.
Nor can what is not, be anything, or be this Other means other than other, and different, thing, or be related to or the attribute of this or different from the different?
that or other, or be past, present, or future. Nor Yes.
can knowledge, or opinion, or perception, or ex-Then, if there are to be others, there is some-pression, or name, or any other thing that is, have thing than which they will be other?
any concern with it?
Certainly.
No.
And what can that be?—for if the one is not, 114
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they will not be other than the one.
pearing to be one, but not being one, if one is They will not.
not?
Then they will be other than each other; for True.
the only remaining alternative is that they are And it would seem that number can be predi-other than nothing.
cated of them if each of them appears to be one, True.
though it is really many?
And they are each other than one another, as It can.
being plural and not singular; for if one is not, And there will seem to be odd and even among they cannot be singular, but every particle of them, which will also have no reality, if one is them is infinite in number; and even if a person not?
takes that which appears to be the smallest frac-Yes.
tion, this, which seemed one, in a moment eva-And there will appear to be a least among them; nesces into many, as in a dream, and from being and even this will seem large and manifold in the smallest becomes very great, in comparison comparison with the many small fractions which with the fractions into which it is split up?
are contained in it?
Very true.
Certainly.
And in such particles the others will be other And each particle will be imagined to be equal than one another, if others are, and the one is to the many and little; for it could not have ap-not?
peared to pass from the greater to the less with-Exactly.
out having appeared to arrive at the middle; and And will there not be many particles, each ap-thus would arise the appearance of equality.