Timaeus. How thankful I am, Socrates, that I have arrived at last,
and, like a weary traveller after a long journey, may be at rest! And
I pray the being who always was of old, and has now been by me
revealed, to grant that my words may endure in so far as they have
been spoken truly and acceptably to him; but if unintentionally I have
said anything wrong, I pray that he will impose upon me a just
retribution, and the just retribution of him who errs is that he
should be set right. Wishing, then, to speak truly in future
concerning the generation of the gods, I pray him to give me
knowledge, which of all medicines is the most perfect and best. And
now having offered my prayer I deliver up the argument to Critias, who
is to speak next according to our agreement.
Critias. And I, Timaeus, accept the trust, and as you at first said
that you were going to speak of high matters, and begged that some
forbearance might be shown to you, I too ask the same or greater
forbearance for what I am about to say. And although I very well know
that my request may appear to be somewhat and discourteous, I must
make it nevertheless. For will any man of sense deny that you have
spoken well? I can only attempt to show that I ought to have more
indulgence than you, because my theme is more difficult; and I shall
argue that to seem to speak well of the gods to men is far easier than
to speak well of men to men: for the inexperience and utter ignorance
of his hearers about any subject is a great assistance to him who has
to speak of it, and we know how ignorant we are concerning the gods.
But I should like to make my meaning clearer, if Timaeus, you will
follow me. All that is said by any of us can only be imitation and
representation. For if we consider the likenesses which painters make
of bodies divine and heavenly, and the different degrees of
gratification with which the eye of the spectator receives them, we
shall see that we are satisfied with the artist who is able in any
degree to imitate the earth and its mountains, and the rivers, and the
woods, and the universe, and the things that are and move therein, and
further, that knowing nothing precise about such matters, we do not
examine or analyze the painting; all that is required is a sort of
indistinct and deceptive mode of shadowing them forth. But when a
person endeavours to paint the human form we are quick at finding out
defects, and our familiar knowledge makes us severe judges of any one
who does not render every point of similarity. And we may observe the
same thing to happen in discourse; we are satisfied with a picture of
divine and heavenly things which has very little likeness to them; but
we are more precise in our criticism of mortal and human things.
Wherefore if at the moment of speaking I cannot suitably express my
meaning, you must excuse me, considering that to form approved
likenesses of human things is the reverse of easy. This is what I want
to suggest to you, and at the same time to beg, Socrates, that I may
have not less, but more indulgence conceded to me in what I am about
to say. Which favour, if I am right in asking, I hope that you will be
ready to grant.
Socrates. Certainly, Critias, we will grant your request, and we will
grant the same by anticipation to Hermocrates, as well as to you and
Timaeus; for I have no doubt that when his turn comes a little while
hence, he will make the same request which you have made. In order,
then, that he may provide himself with a fresh beginning, and not be
compelled to say the same things over again, let him understand that
the indulgence is already extended by anticipation to him. And now,
friend Critias, I will announce to you the judgment of the theatre.
They are of opinion that the last performer was wonderfully
successful, and that you will need a great deal of indulgence before
you will be able to take his place.
Hermocrates. The warning, Socrates, which you have addressed to him, I
must also take to myself. But remember, Critias, that faint heart
never yet raised a trophy; and therefore you must go and attack the
argument like a man. First invoke Apollo and the Muses, and then let
us hear you sound the praises and show forth the virtues of your