The works of Plato (Vol. 1 of 6) : $b A new and literal version chiefly from the text of Stallbaum
Plato · en
11. _Socr._ Of all the arts, some, I think, consist principally in
workmanship, and stand in need of but few words, and others of none at
all, but their work may be accomplished in silence, as painting,
statuary, and many others. With such arts, you appear to me to say
rhetoric has nothing to do? is it not so?
_Gorg._ You apprehend my meaning perfectly, Socrates.
_Socr._ On the other hand, there are other arts which accomplish all by
means of words, and require no work at all, or very little, such as
theoretical[60] and practical arithmetic, geometry, the game of dice,
and many other arts; some of which require almost as many words as
actions, and most of them more, so that altogether their whole activity
and efficiency is by means of words. You appear to me to say that
rhetoric is among arts of this kind.
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Footnote 60:
ἀριθμητική means the theory, λογιστική the practice of arithmetic.
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12. _Gorg._ You say truly.
_Socr._ However, I do not think you mean to call any one of these
rhetoric, although in the expression you used you so said, that rhetoric
has its efficiency by means of words; and any who wished to catch at
your words might reply, Do you say then, Gorgias, that arithmetic is
rhetoric? But I do not think that you call either arithmetic or geometry
rhetoric.
_Gorg._ You think rightly, Socrates, and apprehend my meaning correctly.
_Socr._ Come then, complete the answer to my question. Since rhetoric is
one of those arts which make great use of words, and there are others of
the same kind, endeavour to tell me in reference to what rhetoric has
its efficiency in words. 13. Just as if any one should ask me respecting
any of the arts which I but now mentioned: Socrates, what is the
arithmetical art? I should say to him, as you did just now, That it is
one of the arts that have their efficiency in words. And if he should
further ask me, In reference to what? I should answer, In reference to
the knowledge of even and odd, how many there may be of each. But if
again he should ask me, What do you mean by the art of computation? I
should answer, that this also is one of those arts whose whole
efficiency consists in words. And if he should further ask me, In
reference to what? I should answer, as they do who draw up motions in
the assemblies of the people, That in other respects computation is the
same as arithmetic, for it has reference to the same object, that is to
say, the even and the odd; but it differs in this respect, that
computation considers what relation even and odd have to themselves and
to each other in regard to quantity. 14. And if any one should ask me
about astronomy, and after I had said that its whole efficiency consists
in words, should say, But Socrates, to what do words employed about
astronomy refer? I should answer, That they are employed about the
course of the stars, and of the sun and the moon, how they are related
to each other with respect to velocity.