Plato · Complete work
Stephanus 22c
Stephanus 22c of 125. Read it here for reference, or continue through the entire work without leaving the reader.
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ἃ ποιοῖεν, ἀλλὰ φύσει τινὶ καὶ ἐνθουσιάζοντες ὥσπερ οἱ θεομάντεις καὶ οἱ χρησμῳδοί· καὶ γὰρ οὗτοι λέγουσι μὲν πολλὰ καὶ καλά, ἴσασιν δὲ οὐδὲν ὧν λέγουσι. τοιοῦτόν τί μοι ἐφάνησαν πάθος καὶ οἱ ποιηταὶ πεπονθότες, καὶ ἅμα ᾐσθόμην αὐτῶν διὰ τὴν ποίησιν οἰομένων καὶ τἆλλα σοφωτάτων εἶναι ἀνθρώπων ἃ οὐκ ἦσαν. ἀπῇα οὖν καὶ ἐντεῦθεν τῷ αὐτῷ οἰόμενος περιγεγονέναι ᾧπερ καὶ τῶν πολιτικῶν.τελευτῶν οὖν ἐπὶ τοὺς χειροτέχνας ᾖα· ἐμαυτῷ γὰρ
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete machine-assisted Musean translation, made directly from the complete Ancient Greek text across all 125 Stephanus sections for fidelity, philosophical precision, Socratic voice, legal clarity, and structure.
but through a certain natural gift and under divine inspiration, like prophets and those who deliver oracles; for these too say many fine things, but understand nothing of what they say. The poets, I saw, had undergone something of the same sort. At the same time, I perceived that because of their poetry they thought themselves the wisest of men in other matters as well, though they were not. So I left them too, believing that I had the same advantage over them as I had over the politicians.
Finally, then, I went to the craftsmen; for I was conscious that I myself knew practically nothing, but I knew that I should find them possessed of much fine knowledge.
Mouseia
Mouseia’s complete Plain English edition, made independently and directly from all 125 Ancient Greek Stephanus sections.
but through a certain natural gift and while inspired, like prophets and those who deliver oracles. For these people too say many fine things, but they understand nothing of what they say. It seemed to me that the poets had undergone something of this sort. At the same time, I realized that because of their poetry they thought they were the wisest of men in other matters too, though they were not. So I left them as well, thinking that I had the same advantage over them as I had over the politicians.Finally, then, I went to the craftsmen, for I was conscious that I myself knew practically nothing,