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Stranger
Str. Since, therefore, we are agreed that some of the classes will mingle with one another, and others will not, and some will mingle with few and others with many, and that there is nothing to hinder some from mingling universally with all, let us next proceed with our discussion by investigating, not all the forms or ideas, lest we become confused among so many, but some only, selecting them from those that are considered the most important; let us first consider their several natures, then what their power of mingling with one another is, and so, if we cannot grasp being and not-being with perfect clearness, we shall at any rate not fail to reason fully about them, so far as the method of our present inquiry permits. Let us in this way see whether it is, after all, permitted us to say that not-being really is, although not being, and yet come off unscathed.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Yes; that is the proper thing for us to do.
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Stranger
Str. The most important, surely, of the classes or genera are those which we just mentioned; being itself and rest and motion.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Yes, by far.
Stranger
Str. And further, two of them, we say, cannot mingle with each other.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Decidedly not.
Stranger
Str. But being can mingle with both of them, for they both are.
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Theaetetus
Theaet. Of course.
Stranger
Str. Then these prove to be three.
Theaetetus
Theaet. To be sure.
Stranger
Str. Each of them is, then, other than the remaining two, but the same as itself.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Yes.
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