266–267
Theaetetus
Theaet. I understand better now; and I agree that there are two kinds of production, each of them twofold—the divine and the human by one method of bisection, and by the other real things and the product that consists of a sort of likenesses.
Stranger
Str. We must remember that there were to be two parts of the image-making class, the likeness-making and the fantastic, if we should find that falsehood really existed and was in the class of real being.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Yes, there were.
Stranger
Str. But we found that falsehood does exist, and therefore we shall now, without any doubts, number the kinds of image-making art as two, shall we not?
Theaetetus
Theaet. Yes.
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Stranger
Str. Let us, then, again bisect the fantastic art.
Stranger
Str. One kind is that produced by instruments, the other that in which the producer of the appearance offers himself as the instrument.
Theaetetus
Theaet. What do you mean?
Stranger
Str. When anyone, by employing his own person as his instrument, makes his own figure or voice seem similar to yours, that kind of fantastic art is called mimetic.
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Stranger
Str. Let us, then, classify this part under the name of mimetic art; but as for all the rest, let us be so self-indulgent as to let it go and leave it for someone else to unify and name appropriately.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Very well, let us adopt that classification and let the other part go.
Stranger
Str. But it is surely worth while to consider, Theaetetus, that the mimetic art also has two parts; and I will tell you why.
Theaetetus
Theaet. Please do.
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