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own being； for the truest assertion of the being of being and of the
not…being of not being is when being partakes of the being of being；
and not of the being of not…being…that is； the perfection of being；
and when not…being does not partake of the not…being of not…being
but of the being of not…being…that is the perfection of not…being。
Most true。
Since then what is partakes of not…being； and what is not of
being； must not the one also partake of being in order not to be？
Certainly。
Then the one； if it is not； clearly has being？
Clearly。
And has not…being also； if it is not？
Of course。
But can anything which is in a certain state not be in that state
without changing？
Impossible。
Then everything which is and is not in a certain state； implies
change？
Certainly。
And change is motion…we may say that？
Yes； motion。
And the one has been proved both to be and not to be？
Yes。
And therefore is and is not in the same state？
Yes。
Thus the one that is not has been shown to have motion also； because
it changes from being to not…being？
That appears to be true。
But surely if it is nowhere among what is； as is the fact； since
it is not； it cannot change from one place to another？
Impossible。
Then it cannot move by changing place？
No。
Nor can it turn on the same spot； for it nowhere touches the same；
for the same is； and that which is not cannot be reckoned among things
that are？
It cannot。
Then the one； if it is not； cannot turn in that in which it is not？
No。
Neither can the one； whether it is or is not； be altered into
other than itself； for if it altered and became different from itself；
then we could not be still speaking of the one； but of something else？
True。
But if the one neither suffers alteration； nor turns round in the
same place； nor changes place； can it still be capable of motion？
Impossible。
Now that which is unmoved must surely be at rest； and that which
is at rest must stand still？
Certainly。
Then the one that is not； stands still； and is also in motion？
That seems to be true。
But if it be in motion it must necessarily undergo alteration； for
anything which is moved； in so far as it is moved； is no longer in the
same state； but in another？
Yes。
Then the one； being moved； is altered？
Yes。
And； further； if not moved in any way； it will not be altered in any
way？
No。
Then； in so far as the one that is not is moved； it is altered；
but in so far as it is not moved； it is not altered？
Right。
Then the one that is not is altered and is not altered？
That is clear。
And must not that which is altered become other than it previously
was； and lose its former state and be destroyed； but that which is not
altered can neither come into being nor be destroyed？
Very true。
And the one that is not； being altered； becomes and is destroyed；
and not being altered； neither becomes nor is destroyed； and so the
one that is not becomes and is destroyed； and neither becomes nor is
destroyed？
True。
And now； let us go back once more to the beginning； and see
whether these or some other consequences will follow。
Let us do as you say。
If one is not； we ask what will happen in respect of one？ That is
the question。
Yes。
Do not the words 〃is not〃 signify absence of being in that to
which we apply them？
Just so。
And when we say that a thing is not； do we mean that it is not in
one way but is in another？ or do we mean； absolutely； that what is not
has in no sort or way or kind participation of being？
Quite absolutely。
Then； that which is not cannot be； or in any way participate in
being？
It cannot。
And did we not mean by becoming； and being destroyed； the assumption
of being and the loss of being？
Nothing else。
And can that which has no participation in being； either assume or
lose being？
Impossible。
The one then； since it in no way is； cannot have or lose or assume
being in any way？
True。
Then the one that is not； since it in no way partakes of being；
neither nor becomes？
No。
Then it is not altered at all； for if it were it would become and be
destroyed？
True。
But if it be not altered it cannot be moved？
Certainly not。
Nor can we say that it stands； if it is nowhere； for that which
stands must always be in one and the same spot？
Of course。
Then we must say that the one which is not never stands still and
never moves？
Neither。
Nor is there any existing thing which can be attributed to it； for
if there had been； it would partake of being？
That is clear。
And therefore neither smallness； nor greatness； nor equality； can be
attributed to it？
No。
Nor yet likeness nor difference； either in relation to itself or
to others？
Clearly not。
Well； and if nothing should be attributed to it； can other things be
attributed to it？
Certainly not。
And therefore other things can neither be like or unlike； the
same； or different in relation to it？
They cannot。
Nor can what is not； be anything； or be this thing； or be related to
or the attribute of this or that or other； or be past； present； or
future。 Nor can knowledge； or opinion； or perception； or expression；
or name； or any other thing that is； have any concern with it？
No。
Then the one that is not has no condition of any kind？
Such appears to be the conclusion。
Yet once more； if one is not； what becomes of the others？ Let us
determine that。
Yes； let us determine that。
The others must surely be； for if they； like the one； were not； we
could not be now speaking of them。
True。
But to speak of the others implies difference…the terms 〃other〃
and 〃different〃 are synonymous？
True。
Other means other than other； and different； different from the
different？
Yes。
Then； if there are to be others； there is something than which
they will be other？
Certainly。
And what can that be？…for if the one is not； they will not be
other than the one。
They will not。
Then they will be other than each other； for the only remaining
alternative is that they are other than nothing。
True。
And they are each other than one another； as being plural and not
singular； for if one is not； they cannot be singular but every
particle of them is infinite in number； and even if a person takes
that which appears to be the smallest fraction； this； which seemed
one； in a moment evanesces into many； as in a dream； and from being
the smallest becomes very great； in comparison w