philebus   

maintain, delivers the soul-What think you, Protarchus?

Pro. Her ways are much to my mind, Socrates.

Soc. You will observe that I have spoken of three classes?

Pro. Yes, I think that I understand you: you mean to say that the

infinite is one class, and that the finite is a second class of

existences; but what you would make the third I am not so certain.

Soc. That is because the amazing variety of the third class is too

much for you, my dear friend; but there was not this difficulty with

the infinite, which also comprehended many classes, for all of them

were sealed with the note of more and less, and therefore appeared

one.

Pro. True.

Soc. And the finite or limit had not many divisions, and we ready

acknowledged it to be by nature one?

Pro. Yes.

Soc. Yes, indeed; and when I speak of the third class, understand me

to mean any offspring of these, being a birth into true being,

effected by the measure which the limit introduces.

Pro. I understand.

Soc. Still there was, as we said, a fourth class to be investigated,

and you must assist in the investigation; for does not everything

which comes into being, of necessity come into being through a cause?

Pro. Yes, certainly; for how can there be anything which has no

cause?

Soc. And is not the agent the same as the cause in all except

name; the agent and the cause may be rightly called one?

Pro. Very true.

Soc. And the same may be said of the patient, or effect; we shall

find that they too differ, as I was saying, only in name-shall we not?

Pro. We shall.

Soc. The agent or cause always naturally leads, and the patient or

effect naturally follows it?