philebus   

Pro. Certainly.

Soc. Then the cause and what is subordinate to it in generation

are not the same, but different?

Pro. True.

Soc. Did not the things which were generated, and the things out

of which they were generated, furnish all the three classes?

Pro. Yes.

Soc. And the creator or cause of them has been satisfactorily proven

to be distinct from them-and may therefore be called a fourth

principle?

Pro. So let us call it.

Soc. Quite right; but now, having distinguished the four, I think

that we had better refresh our memories by recapitulating each of them

in order.

Pro. By all means.

Soc. Then the first I will call the infinite or unlimited, and the

second the finite or limited; then follows the third, an essence

compound and generated; and I do not think that I shall be far wrong

in speaking of the cause of mixture and generation as the fourth.

Pro. Certainly not.

Soc. And now what is the next question, and how came we hither? Were

we not enquiring whether the second place belonged to pleasure or

wisdom?

Pro. We were.

Soc. And now, having determined these points, shall we not be better

able to decide about the first and second place, which was the

original subject of dispute?

Pro. I dare say.

Soc. We said, if you remember, that the mixed life of pleasure and

wisdom was the conqueror-did we not?

Pro. True.

Soc. And we see what is the place and nature of this life and to