philebus   

answered; but it must be answered.

Soc. Then let us go back to our examples.

Pro. Where shall we begin?

Soc. Do we mean anything when we say "a man thirsts"?

Pro. Yes.

Soc. We mean to say that he "is empty"?

Pro. Of course.

Soc. And is not thirst desire?

Pro. Yes, of drink.

Soc. Would you say of drink, or of replenishment with drink?

Pro. I should say, of replenishment with drink.

Soc. Then he who is empty desires, as would appear, the opposite

of what he experiences; for he is empty and desires to be full?

Pro. Clearly so.

Soc. But how can a man who is empty for the first time, attain

either by perception or memory to any apprehension of replenishment,

of which he has no present or past experience?

Pro. Impossible.

Soc. And yet he who desires, surely desires something?

Pro. Of course.

Soc. He does not desire that which he experiences, for he

experiences thirst, and thirst is emptiness; but he desires

replenishment?

Pro. True.

Soc. Then there must be something in the thirsty man which in some

way apprehends replenishment?

Pro. There must.

Soc. And that cannot be the body, for the body is supposed to be

emptied?

Pro. Yes.

Soc. The only remaining alternative is that the soul apprehends

the replenishment by the help of memory; as is obvious, for what other