Two Images in Plato’s Statesman 277a-d

Abstract

This paper focuses on two similes in the form of a sculptured image and a pictured image featured in Plato’s Statesman 277a-d and considers them in context in order to understand not only the structure and contents of the Statesman but also Plato’s methodological shift from the middle to the later dialogues. I begin by examining the first exchange between the Eleatic Stranger and Young Socrates (YS) at 277a to discover why Plato introduced these two images. After narrating the myth, the Stranger then tries to correct YS’s false belief that the myth is complete enough to clarify the nature of the king/statesman and his ‘double ignorance’ of falsely thinking that he knows what he does not know, which restricts his further inquiries. Comparing the myth to a sculpture and relying on two senses of παράδειγμα (a ‘model’ and an ‘exemplar’), the Stranger indicates that the myth is incomplete by making its parts too big—beyond their proper time and size— and attempts to persuade YS that he does not know yet what the king/statesman is. This explains how the sculptured image helps YS realize his ignorance and embark on a new investigation with the Stranger. The Stranger goes on to compare his philosophical method with drawing and painting a picture. This pictured image characterizes the myth as outlining the whole scheme of the king/statesman, and the method of division as painting parts colorfully and blending them well. This image not only emphasizes the incompleteness of the myth, but also sheds light on Plato’s shift of emphasis in philosophical methodology from two sides. First, suddenly changing the sense of ζῷον from ‘a portrait’ (277b8) to ‘living creature’ (277c4), that is, a ‘painting model,’ the Stranger develops the method of division from a simple dichotomous type used prior to this passage to a more advanced one, such as ‘the division by (animal) limbs’ (cf. 287c). This serves to specify the king/statesman’s proper functions (ἔργα) as ‘limbs’ compared with other citizens’ various functions in the rest of the dialogue. Second, by distinguishing between two types of investigators (those who can follow argument and speech to clarify the object itself, and those who rely on painting), the Stranger intends to use the method of division by limbs for the former type of the investigators rather than the method of literary devices typically utilized in the middle dialogues, such as myths, metaphors, analogies, and allegories, for the latter. Accordingly, this transitional passage with two impressive images marks a significant turning point in the whole dialogue, leading us to re-evaluate the role of the myth and prepare for the subsequent discussion based on the division by limbs. Finally, Statesman 277a-d prompts us to notice Plato’s new approach to dialectic in the later dialogues.