THEAETETUS: Impossible.

STRANGER: You mean by assenting to imply that he who says something must

say some one thing?

THEAETETUS: Yes.

STRANGER: Some in the singular (ti) you would say is the sign of one,

some in the dual (tine) of two, some in the plural (tines) of many?

THEAETETUS: Exactly.

STRANGER: Then he who says 'not something' must say absolutely nothing.

THEAETETUS: Most assuredly.

STRANGER: And as we cannot admit that a man speaks and says nothing, he

who says 'not-being' does not speak at all.

THEAETETUS: The difficulty of the argument can no further go.

STRANGER: Not yet, my friend, is the time for such a word; for there

still remains of all perplexities the first and greatest, touching the

very foundation of the matter.

THEAETETUS: What do you mean? Do not be afraid to speak.

Sophist