431–432
Socrates
Socrates. Then he who reproduces all, produces good sketches and pictures, and he who adds or takes away produces also sketches and pictures, but bad ones?
Socrates
Socrates. And how about him who imitates the nature of things by means of letters and syllables? By the same principle, if he gives all that is appropriate, the image—that is to say, the name—will be good, and if he sometimes omits a little, it will be an image, but not a good one; and therefore some names are well and others badly made. Is that not true?
Cratylus
Cratylus. Perhaps.
10
Socrates
Socrates. Perhaps, then, one artisan of names will be good, and another bad?
Socrates
Socrates. The name of such an artisan was lawgiver?
Socrates
Socrates. Perhaps, then, by Zeus, as is the case in the other arts, one lawgiver may be good and another bad, if we accept our previous conclusions.
15
Cratylus
Cratylus. That is true. But you see, Socrates, when by the science of grammar we assign these letters—alpha, beta, and the rest—to names, if we take away or add or transpose any letter, it is not true that the name is written, but written incorrectly; it is not written at all, but immediately becomes a different word, if any such thing happens to it.
Socrates
Socrates. Perhaps we are not considering the matter in the right way.
Cratylus
Cratylus. Why not?
