and all is one which neither he nor any other creature will ever escape

in triumph.

THEAETETUS: Well said; and let us do as you propose.

STRANGER: Well, then, pursuing the same analytic method as before, I

think that I can discern two divisions of the imitative art, but I am

not as yet able to see in which of them the desired form is to be found.

THEAETETUS: Will you tell me first what are the two divisions of which

you are speaking?

STRANGER: One is the art of likeness-making;--generally a likeness of

anything is made by producing a copy which is executed according to the

proportions of the original, similar in length and breadth and depth,

each thing receiving also its appropriate colour.

THEAETETUS: Is not this always the aim of imitation?

STRANGER: Not always; in works either of sculpture or of painting,

which are of any magnitude, there is a certain degree of deception; for

artists were to give the true proportions of their fair works, the upper

part, which is farther off, would appear to be out of proportion in

comparison with the lower, which is nearer; and so they give up the

truth in their images and make only the proportions which appear to be

beautiful, disregarding the real ones.

Sophist