Source edition
Platonis Opera, Tomus I: Tetralogia I-II. Burnet, John, 1863-1928, editor. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1905.
Source data
Perseus Digital Library · CC BY-SA (per Perseus's terms)
Cloned and adapted by Humanitext, with ongoing edits.
Summary
This work is a dialogue featuring Socrates, Hermogenes, and Cratylus, which explores the 'correctness' of names (onoma)—specifically, whether names derive from the 'nature' (physis) of things or from human 'convention and agreement' (nomos). Socrates first discusses with Hermogenes, arguing that names are tools used to reveal the essence of things, and playfully analyzes the etymologies of various gods and virtues to support the naturalist view. He then turns to Cratylus, an advocate of extreme naturalism and Heraclitean flux, and demonstrates that phonetic imitation is inherently imperfect, requiring the elements of convention and habit for mutual understanding. Ultimately, Socrates exposes the limitations of seeking knowledge solely through names, suggesting instead that one must investigate the truth of realities themselves, beyond the names assigned to them. The dialogue concludes without a definitive answer, leaving the interlocutors to commit to further inquiry.