sophist   

Theaet. Yes.
Str. Let this, then, be named the art of mimicry, and this the
province assigned to it; as for the other division, we are weary and
will give that up, leaving to some one else the duty of making the
class and giving it a suitable name.
Theaet. Let us do as you say-assign a sphere to the one and leave
the other.
Str. There is a further distinction, Theaetetus, which is worthy
of our consideration, and for a reason which I will tell you.
Theaet. Let me hear.
Str. There are some who imitate, knowing what they
imitate, and some
who do not know. And what line of distinction can there possibly be
greater than that which divides ignorance from knowledge?
Theaet. There can be no greater.
Str. Was not the sort of imitation of which we spoke just now the
imitation of those who know? For he who would imitate you
would surely
know you and your figure?
Theaet. Naturally.
Str. And what would you say of the figure or form of justice or of
virtue in general? Are we not well aware that many, having no
knowledge of either, but only a sort of opinion, do their
best to show
that this opinion is really entertained by them, by expressing it,
as far as they can, in word and deed?
Theaet. Yes, that is very common.
Str. And do they always fail in their attempt to be thought just,
when they are not? Or is not the very opposite true?
Theaet. The very opposite.
Str. Such a one, then, should be described as an imitator-to be
distinguished from the other, as he who is ignorant is distinguished
from him who knows?
Theaet. True.
Str. Can we find a suitable name for each of them? This is clearly
not an easy task; for among the ancients there was some confusion of
ideas, which prevented them from attempting to divide genera into
species; wherefore there is no great abundance of names. Yet, for
the sake of distinctness, I will make bold to call the
imitation which
coexists with opinion, the imitation of appearance-that
which coexists
with science, a scientific or learned imitation.
Theaet. Granted.
Str. The former is our present concern, for the Sophist was
classed with imitators indeed, but not among those who have
knowledge.
Theaet. Very true.
Str. Let us, then, examine our imitator of appearance, and see
whether he is sound, like a piece of iron, or whether there is still
some crack in him.
Theaet. Let us examine him.
Str. Indeed there is a very considerable crack; for if you
look, you
find that one of the two classes of imitators is a simple creature,
who thinks that he knows that which he only fancies; the other sort
has knocked about among arguments, until he suspects and
fears that he
is ignorant of that which to the many he pretends to know.
Theaet. There are certainly the two kinds which you describe.
Str. Shall we regard one as the simple imitator-the other as the
dissembling or ironical imitator?
Theaet. Very good.
Str. And shall we further speak of this latter class as having one