Page:Works of Plato his first fifty-five dialogues (Taylor 1804) (Vol 3 of 5) (IA Vol3worksofplato00plat).pdf/11

 == INTRODUCTION TO THE PARMENIDES. ==

It was the custom of Pythagoras and his followers, amongst whom Plato holds the most distinguished rank, to conceal divine mysteries under the veil of symbols and figures; to dissemble their wisdom against the arrogant boastings of the Sophists ; to jest seriously, and sport in earnest. Hence, in the following most important dialogue, under the appearance of a certain dialectic sport, and, as it were, logical discussion, Plato has delivered a complete system of the profound and beautiful theology of the Greeks. For it is not to be supposed that he, who in all his other dialogues introduces discussions adapted to the character of the principal speaker, should in this dialogue deviate from his general plan, and exhibit Parmenides, a venerable and aged philosopher, engaged in the puerile exercise of a merely logical disputation. Besides, it was usual with the Pythagoreans and Plato to form an harmonious conjunction of many materials in one subject, partly in imitation of nature, and partly for the sake of elegance and grace. Thus, in the Phaædrus, Plato mingles oratory with theology; in the Timaeus, mathematics with physics; and in the present dialogue, dialectic with divine speculations. But the reader must not suppose that the dialectic of Plato is the same with vulgar dialectic, which is conversant with opinion, and is accurately investigated in Aristotle’s Topics: for the business of this first of sciences, which at present is utterly unknown, is to employ definitions, divisions, analysations, and demonstrations, as primary sciences in the investigation of causes ; imitating the progressions of beings from the first principle of things, and their continual conversion to it, as the ultimate object of desire. “But there are three energies,” says Proclus, “of this most scientific method: