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Stranger
Str. Because they are obliged in speaking of anything to use the expressions to be, apart, from the rest, by itself, and countless others; they are powerless to keep away from them or avoid working them into their discourse; and therefore there is no need of others to refute them, but, as the saying goes, their enemy and future opponent is of their own household whom they always carry about with them as they go, giving forth speech from within them, like the wonderful Eurycles. Eurycles was a ventriloquist and soothsayer of the fifth century, cf. Aristoph. Wasps 1019
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Theaetetus
Theaet. That is a remarkably accurate illustration
Stranger
Str. But what if we ascribe to all things the power of participation in one another?
Theaetetus
Theaet. Even I can dispose of that assumption.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Because motion itself would be wholly at rest, and rest in turn would itself be in motion, if these two could be joined with one another.
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Stranger
Str. But surely this at least is most absolutely impossible, that motion be at rest and rest be in motion?
Theaetetus
Theaet. Of course.
Stranger
Str. Then only the third possibility is left.
Stranger
Str. And certainly one of these three must be true; either all things will mingle with one another, or none will do so, or some will and others will not.
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Theaetetus
Theaet. Of course.
Stranger
Str. And certainly the first two were found to be impossible.
Stranger
Str. Then everybody who wishes to answer correctly will adopt the remaining one of the three possibilities.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Precisely.
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