Page:O. F. Owen's Organon of Aristotle Vol. 2 (1853).djvu/220

 nions, since they do not desire and say the same thing, but employ the most seemly words, and desire things which appear profitable; for instance, they say, it is necessary to die well, rather than to live pleasantly, and to he justly poor, than to be basely rich; but they desire the contrary. He therefore who speaks according to volitions, must be brought to apparent opinions, but he who speaks according to these, must be brought to concealed (volitions), for it is necessary in both ways to speak paradoxes, since either they assert what is contrary to apparent or to unapparent opinions.

The place indeed of causing the assertion of paradoxes is very extensive, as Callicles in the Gorgias is introduced, saying, (which also all the ancients consider to happen,) from what was according to nature, and according to law; for they say nature, and law, are contraries, and that justice according to law, is excellent, but according to nature, it is not excellent. Wherefore we must oppose him according to law who speaks according to nature, but lead him to nature who speaks according to law, for to say that it exists in either of these two ways, is paradoxical. But according to them, that which is after nature is true, but what is according to law is that which appears to the multitude; wherefore it is evident that they, as the disputants, now endeavoured either to confute the respondent, or to make him assert paradoxes.

Some questions, indeed, have on both sides an answer contrary to opinion, as whether is it right to obey the wise or a father, and ought we to do things advantageous or just, and is to be injured more eligible than to injure? We ought, however, to lead to conclusions which are opposed to the multitude and the wise, if, indeed, some one speaks as those who are conversant with disputations, we ought to bring him to conclusions contrary to the multitude; but if he speaks as the multitude, (to conclusions contrary) to those who are conversant with disputations. For the one, indeed, say that the happy man is necessarily just, but it seems contrary to the opinion of the many, that a king should not be happy; thus to