Stephanus 219

219a1ff.: 

Stranger: I certainly expect that he has a pursuit and speech that is not unsuitable for us in relation to what we want.

Theaetetus: He would have it beautifully. 

There is a lot of wanting so far in the dialogue, more than I would expect:

"The thing that you want to explain to someone" (217c4)

"It is possible for you to select any of the ones present whom you want" (217d4)

"Do you want us to try to lay it down as a paradigm of the greater thing?" (218d8)

"I certainly expect that he has a pursuit and speech that is not unsuitable for us in relation to what we want" (219a2)

Perhaps the sophist makes attempts to make the world to conform to what he wants, whereas the philosopher conforms himself to what the world is.

S: Come, let us begin it in this way. Tell me: will we posit that he possesses an art or is he someone who lacks an art but has some other power.?

T: He is someone who lacks an art least of all.

S: But certainly of all the arts there are just two species (εἴδη).

T: How so?

S: On the one hand, there is farming and as much service as is concerned with the entire mortal body--and, in turn, both that which is concerned with what is put together and formed, which we have named utensils, and the art of imitation--all these together would most justly be addressed by one name.

T: How, and by what [name]?

S: All that--not existing earlier--someone leads into being (οὐσίαν) later: we say I suppose, on the one hand, that the one who leads [something into being] makes and, on the other hand, the thing being led [into being] is made. 

Anything that lead things that do not exist before into being afterwards sounds pretty cool to me. Like God creating the heavens and the earth; like helping a young man acquire virtue? 

As a reminder, the dialogue begins with Theodorus and Theaetetus leading the Stranger in a way that is not orderly.

Both usages of leading sound strange to the ear: they are leading the Stranger? All that leads what does not exist into being?

T: Correctly.

S: But all the things that we went through just now had their power in regard to this.

T: Yes, they did.

S: So, then, having summed them all up, let us call [this kind of art] the art of making. 

T: Let it be.

S: In turn, after this is the whole species of learning and that of becoming acquainted (γνωρίσεως) and making money and competing and hunting, since none of these creates (δημιουργεῖ) [anything], but subdues some of the things that are and have come into being by means of words and actions and do not yield to those who subdue [others of the things that are and have come into being]--on account of all these parts, I suppose, it would be especially fitting if more than anything else it were called a certain art of acquiring.

Of course, learning is what the Stranger and Theaetetus are doing; becoming acquainted is what Socrates is doing--at the beginning of the Statesman he thanks Theodorus for the acquaintance of Theaetetus and the Stranger. They are also hunting--the Stranger describes the sophist at 218d3 as being difficult to hunt. So, these three are engaged in the art of acquiring--not bringing non-existent things into being.

"and do not yield to those who subdue [others of the things that are and have come into being]": I have no idea what this means. Jowett thinks it means "and prevents others from conquering"; Bernadete thinks it means "they do not give up to those who are bent on getting the better of them." This must refer to competing, maybe money-making.

Perhaps the sophist creates things out of nothing rather than acquiring what already exists.

T: Yes, for it would be fitting.

S: All the arts together being the art of acquiring (δὴ) and the art of making--in which shall we place the angler?

The Stranger asks the question in a way that gives away the answer (by putting the emphatic δὴ after the art of acquiring). Why does he do that?

T: It is clear, I suppose, in the art of acquiring.

Clear because it is clear to Theaetetus or clear because the Stranger indicated what the correct answer was?

S: And are there not two species of the art of acquisition? The one of those who are willing in relation to those who are willing--being by way of exchange through gifts and rentings and purchasings--the remaining one--by conquering everything by deeds and words--would be by way of conquering.

T: So it appears, at least, from the things that have been said.

Theaetetus is not able yet to see these things for himself--he can only "see" them once the Stranger tells him. First is the tip off as to which species to place the angler; here, Theaetetus explicitly says that the two species are appearing to him "out of the things" that the Stranger has said. It would be great if Theaetetus could start seeing these things for himself without the Stranger telling him or indicating to him what the answer is.

S: What then? Isn't it necessary to cut the art of conquering in two?

T: In what way?

So, at this point the Stranger isn't even asking which species to place the angler in--he's just answering for both of them and moving on. Why? Is it to move things along, is it because the answer is obvious, is it because Theatetus is not (yet) able to answer the question?

I'm guessing it's because Theaetetus is not yet ready to see these things for himself.

S: By positing, on the one hand, the whole part that competes openly and, on the other hand, the hidden part of it that is devoted to hunting.

T: Yes.

S: And it [would be] irrational (ἄλογον) not to cut in two the art of hunting.

So, once again, the Stranger is answering the question for Theaetetus as to which species to place the angler in.

T: Tell me in what way.

Some kids tell you not to give them answer but to let them try without being told. Not Theaetetus.

S: By dividing, on the one hand, the part of the genus without souls and, on the other hand, the part of the en-souled.

At least the participle "dividing" is in the plural (διελομένους)--that is, the Stranger is speaking as if they are both doing the dividing.

T: What? If indeed both exist.

Good for Theaetetus for wondering if there is such a things as hunting for creatures without souls--his surprise shows that he's thinking and following along.