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An Excerpt from Plato's The Cratylus
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Hermes
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Socrates:~~ Hermogenes, ... there is an ancient
saying [384b] that knowledge of
high things ~~~~~~~~
is hard to gain; and surely knowledge of names is no small matter.
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[407e] Hermogenes: [Yes, Socrates] I will do so, but first [please discuss] one more god. I want
to ask you about Hermes, since Cratylus says I am not Hermogenes (son of Hermes). Let us in-
vestigate the name of Hermes, to find out whether there is anything in what he says.
Socrates: Well then, this name "Hermes" seems to me to have to do with speech; he is an inter-
preter (hêrmêneus) and a messenger, [408a] is wily and deceptive in speech, and is oratorical.
All this activity is concerned with the power of speech.
Now, as I said before, eirein denotes the use of speech; moreover, Homer often uses the word
emêsato, which means "contrive."
From these two words, then, the lawgiver imposes upon us the name of this god who contrived
speech and the use of speech -- eirein means "speak" -- [408b] and [Homer] tells us: "Ye human
beings, he who contrived speech (eirein emêsato) ought to be called Eiremes by you." We, how-
ever, have beautified the name, as we imagine, and call him Hermes. Iris also seems to have got
her name from eirein, because she is a messenger.
Hermogenes: By Zeus, I believe Cratylus was right in saying I was not Hermogenes; I certainly
am no good contriver of speech.
<= BACK
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H.G. Liddell: ἐμέω => 2. metaphoric use of: 'ἐμέσαι' [ 'emesai' ] => '(to) throw up a flood of words'
.. Webster's: 'emit' => L.: emittere =>.
L.: e- .=>. 'out'
.+.
L.: mittere =>. 'to send' =>. [See: 'mission']
~~~~~~~~~ 1. 'to send out' / 'give forth' / 'discharge' | 2. 'to utter'
(words or sounds) | 5. 'to issue' |
.. Webster's: 'emulate'
.=>.
IE. base:. *ai => 'to give' / 'accept' / 'take'
.=>. Gr.: ainymai
.=>. 'to take'
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THE_BOOK_THE_CRATYLUS_01
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