THEAETETUS: I dare say.

STRANGER: And the same may be said of all the terms just mentioned.

THEAETETUS: True.

STRANGER: The consideration of most of them may be deferred; but we had

better now discuss the chief captain and leader of them.

THEAETETUS: Of what are you speaking? You clearly think that we must

first investigate what people mean by the word 'being.'

STRANGER: You follow close at my heels, Theaetetus. For the right

method, I conceive, will be to call into our presence the dualistic

philosophers and to interrogate them. 'Come,' we will say, 'Ye, who

affirm that hot and cold or any other two principles are the universe,

what is this term which you apply to both of them, and what do you mean

when you say that both and each of them "are"? How are we to understand

the word "are"? Upon your view, are we to suppose that there is a third

principle over and above the other two,--three in all, and not two? For

clearly you cannot say that one of the two principles is being, and yet

attribute being equally to both of them; for, if you did, whichever of

the two is identified with being, will comprehend the other; and so they

will be one and not two.'

Sophist