A: Nor second either in the things we speak of; But thus it is—if to an even number, Or e’en an odd one, if you so prefer it, You add a unit, or if you deduct one, Say will the number still remain the same?
B: Certainly not.
A: So, if you take a measure A cubit long, and add another cubit, Or cut a portion off, the measure then No longer is the same?
B: Of course it is not.
A: Now turn your eyes and thoughts upon mankind— We see one grows, another perishes So that they all exist perpetually In a condition of transition. That Whose nature changes must be different At each successive moment, from the thing It was before. So also, you and I Are different people now from what we were But yesterday; and then, again, tomorrow We shall be different from what we’re now; So that, by the same rule, we’re always different.
And Alcimus speaks as follows: “The wise men say that the soul perceives some things by means of the body, as for instance when it hears and sees, but that it also perceives something by its own power, without availing itself at all of the assistance of the body.” On which account existent things are divisible into objects of sensation and objects of understanding. On account of which Plato used to say that those who wished to become acquainted with the principles of everything, ought first of all to divide the ideas as he calls them, separately, such as similarity, and unity, and multitude, and magnitude, and stationariness, and motion. And secondly, that they ought to form a notion of the honorable and the good, and the just, and things of that sort, by themselves, apart from other considerations. And thirdly, that they ought to ascertain the character of such ideas as are relative to one another, such as knowledge, or magnitude, or authority; considering that the things which come under our notice from partaking of their nature, have the same names that they have. I mean that one calls that just which partakes of the just; and that beautiful which partakes of the beautiful. And each of these primary species is eternal, and is to be understood by the intellect, and is not subject to the influence of external circumstances. On which account he says that ideas exist in nature as models; and that all other things are like them, and, as it were, copies of them. Accordingly Epicharmus speaks thus about the good, and about the ideas.
A: Tell me, is flute-playing now a thing at all?
B: Of course it is.
A: Is man then flute-playing?
B: No, nothing of the sort.
A: Well, let us see— What is a flute-player? what think you now Of him—is he a man, or is he not?
B: Of course he is a man.
A: Think you not then The case is just the same about the good. That the good is something by itself, intrinsic And he who’s learnt, does at once become Himself a good man? just as he who’s learnt Flute-playing is a flute-player; or dancing, A dancer; weaving, a weaver. And in short, Whoever learns an art, does not become The art itself, but just an artist in it.
Plato, in his theory of Ideas, says, “That since there is such a thing as memory, the ideas are in existent things, because memory is only conversant about what is stable and enduring; and that no other thing is durable except ideas, for in what way,” he continues, “could animals be preserved, if they had no ideas to guide them, and if, in addition to them, they had not an intellect given to them by nature?” But as it is they recollect similitudes, and also their food, so as to know what kind of food is fit for them; which they learn because the notion of similarity is implanted naturally in every animal; owing to which notion they recognize those of the same species as themselves. What is it then that Epicharmus says?
Eumaeus’ wisdom?—not a scanty gift Appropriated to one single being; But every animal that breathes and lives, Has mind and intellect.—So if you will Survey the facts attentively, you’ll find, E’en in the common poultry yard, the hen Brings not her offspring forth at first alive, But sits upon her eggs, and by her warmth, Cherishes them into life. And all this wisdom She does derive from nature’s gift alone, For nature is her only guide and teacher.
And in a subsequent passage he says:
There is no wonder in my teaching this, That citizens please citizens, and seem To one another to be beautiful: And so one dog seems to another dog The fairest object in the world; and so One ox seems to another, ass to ass, And swine to swine.
And these and similar speculations are examined and compared by Alcimus through four books, where he shows how much assistance Plato has derived from Epicharmus. And that Epicharmus himself was not indisposed to appreciate his own wisdom, one may learn from these lines, in which he predicts that there will arise someone to imitate him:
But as I think, I surely foresee this, That these my words will be preserved hereafter In many people’s recollection. And Another man will come, who’ll strip my reasons Of their poetic dress, and, clothing them In other garments and with purple broidery Will show them off; and being invincible, Will make all rivals bow the knee to him.
Plato also appears to have brought the books of Sophron, the farce-writer, to Athens, which were previously neglected; and to have availed himself of them in his Speculations on Morals: and a copy of them was found under his head.
And Plato made three voyages to Sicily, first of all for the purpose of seeing the island and the craters of volcanoes, when Dionysius, the son of Hermocrates, being the tyrant of Sicily, pressed him earnestly to come and see him; and he, conversing about tyranny, and saying that that is not the best government which is advantageous for one individual alone, unless that individual is preeminent in virtue, had a quarrel with Dionysius, who got angry and said: “Your words are those of an old dotard.” And Plato replied: “And your language is that of a tyrant.” And on this the tyrant became very indignant, and at first was inclined to put him to death; but afterwards, being appeased by Dion and Aristomenes, he forebore to do that, but gave him to Pollis the Lacedaemonian, who happened to have come to him on an embassy just at that time, to sell as a slave. And he took him to Aegina and sold him; and Charmander, the son of Charmandrides, instituted a capital prosecution against him, in accordance with the law which was in force, in the island of Aegina, that the first Athenian who landed on the island should be put to death without a trial; and he himself was the person who had originally proposed that law, as Phavorinus says, in his Universal History. But when someone said, though he said it only in joke, that it was a philosopher who had landed, the people released him. But some say that he was brought into the assembly and watched; and that he did not say a word, but stood prepared to submit to whatever might befall him; and that they determined not to put him to death, but to sell him after the fashion of prisoners of war. And it happened by chance that Anniceris, the Cyrenean, was present, who ransomed him for twenty minae, or as others say for thirty, and sent him to Athens to his companions, and they immediately sent Anniceris his money: but he refused to receive it, saying that they were not the only people in the world who were entitled to have a regard for Plato. Some writers again say that it was Dion who sent the money, and that he did not refuse it, but bought him the garden in the Academy. And with respect to Pollis it is said that he was defeated by Chabrias, and that he was afterwards drowned in Helice, in consequence of the anger of the deity at his treatment of this philosopher. And this is the story told by Phavorinus in the first book of his Commentaries. Dionysius, however, did not remain quiet; but when he had heard what had happened he wrote to Plato not to speak ill of him, and he wrote back in reply that he had not leisure enough to think at all of Dionysius.
But he went a second time to Sicily to the younger Dionysius, and asked him for some land and for some men whom he might make live according to his own theory of a constitution. And Dionysius promised to give him some, but never did it. And some say that he was in danger himself, having been suspected of exciting Dion and Theotas to attempt the deliverance of the island; but that Archytas the Pythagorean wrote a letter to Dionysius, and begged Plato off and sent him back safe to Athens. And the letter is as follows:
Archytas to Dionysius, Greeting
All of us who are the friends of Plato have sent to you Lamiscus and Photidas, to claim of you this philosopher in accordance with the agreement which you made with us. And it is right that you should recollect the eagerness which you had to see him, when you pressed us all to secure Plato’s visit to you, promising to provide for him, and to treat him hospitably in every respect, and to ensure his safety both while he remained with you and when he departed. Remember this too that you were very delighted indeed at his arrival, and that you expressed great pleasure at the time, such as you never did on any other occasion. And if any unpleasantness has arisen between you, you ought to behave with humanity, and restore the man unhurt; for by so doing you will act justly, and do us a favor.
The third time that he went to Sicily was for the purpose of reconciling Dion to Dionysius. And as he could not succeed he returned back to his own country, having lost his labor.