The Republic — Page 10
There is no absurdity in supposing that he may have laid his labours aside for a time, or turned from one work to another; and such interruptions would be more likely to occur in the case of a long than of a short writing.
Es ist nicht abwegig anzunehmen, dass er seine Arbeiten zeitweise beiseitegelegt oder sich von einem Werk dem anderen zugewandt haben mag; und solche Unterbrechungen wären bei einem langen Werk wahrscheinlicher als bei einem kurzen.
In all attempts to determine the chronological order of the Platonic writings on internal evidence, this uncertainty about any single Dialogue being composed at one time is a disturbing element, which must be admitted to affect longer works, such as the Republic and the Laws, more than shorter ones.
Bei allen Versuchen, die chronologische Reihenfolge der platonischen Schriften anhand innerer Belege zu bestimmen, ist diese Ungewissheit darüber, ob ein einzelner Dialog zu einer einzigen Zeit verfasst wurde, ein störendes Element, das längere Werke wie die Republik und die Gesetze zweifellos stärker betrifft als kürzere.
But, on the other hand, the seeming discrepancies of the Republic may only arise out of the discordant elements which the philosopher has attempted to unite in a single whole, perhaps without being himself able to recognise the inconsistency which is obvious to us.
Andererseits mögen die scheinbaren Widersprüche der Republik nur aus den unvereinbaren Elementen entstehen, die der Philosoph versucht hat, in einem einzigen Ganzen zu vereinen, vielleicht ohne selbst die Inkonsistenz erkennen zu können, die uns offensichtlich ist.
For there is a judgment of after ages which few great writers have ever been able to anticipate for themselves.
Denn es gibt ein Urteil späterer Zeitalter, das nur wenige große Schriftsteller je für sich selbst vorwegnehmen konnten.
They do not perceive the want of connexion in their own writings, or the gaps in their systems which are visible enough to those who come after them.
Sie erkennen nicht den Mangel an Zusammenhang in ihren eigenen Schriften oder die Lücken in ihren Systemen, die denen, die nach ihnen kommen, deutlich genug sichtbar sind.
In the beginnings of literature and philosophy, amid the first efforts of thought and language, more inconsistencies occur than now, when the paths of speculation are well worn and the meaning of words precisely defined.
In den Anfängen der Literatur und der Philosophie, inmitten der ersten Bemühungen des Denkens und der Sprache, treten mehr Widersprüche auf als heute, wo die Pfade der Spekulation gut ausgetreten und die Bedeutungen der Wörter genau definiert sind.
For consistency, too, is the growth of time; and some of the greatest creations of the human mind have been wanting in unity.
Denn auch die Konsequenz ist ein Produkt der Zeit; und einigen der größten Schöpfungen des menschlichen Geistes hat es an Einheit gemangelt.
Vocabulary
- Es
- It; neuter pronoun used as subject or object.
- ist
- Is; third person singular present of sein.
- nicht
- Not; primary negation word in German.
- abwegig
- Far-fetched; implausible or unlikely to be true.
- anzunehmen
- To assume; to suppose or take as given.
- dass
- That; subordinating conjunction introducing clauses.
- er
- He; third person masculine singular pronoun.
- seine
- His; possessive adjective for masculine nouns.
- Arbeiten
- Works; plural of Arbeit; compositions or labors.
- zeitweise
- Temporarily; at times or intermittently.
- oder
- Or; conjunction presenting alternatives.
- sich
- Oneself; reflexive pronoun for all persons.
- von
- From; preposition indicating origin or separation.
- einem
- A; dative singular of indefinite article.
- Werk
- Work; artistic, literary, or intellectual creation.
- dem
- The; dative singular of definite article.
- anderen
- Other; different one or the alternative.
- haben
- Have; auxiliary verb for perfect tense.
- mag
- May; might or likes; subjunctive of mögen.
- und
- And; basic coordinating conjunction.
- solche
- Such; demonstrative pronoun referring to things.
- Unterbrechungen
- Interruptions; breaks or pauses in continuity.
- wären
- Would be; subjunctive form of sein.
- bei
- With; at or near; preposition of location.
- langen
- Long; adjective meaning extended in time.
- wahrscheinlicher
- More likely; comparative form of probable.
- als
- Than; used in comparisons.
- kurzen
- Short; adjective meaning brief or limited.
- Bei
- With; at or near; preposition.
- allen
- All; plural dative of alle.
- Versuchen
- Attempts; plural of Versuch; efforts.
- die
- The; feminine/plural article or relative pronoun.
- chronologische
- Chronological; arranged in time sequence.
- Reihenfolge
- Sequence; order of arrangement or succession.
- der
- The; feminine/plural genitive or dative article.
- Schriften
- Writings; plural of Schrift; texts or works.
- anhand
- On the basis of; using as reference.
- innerer
- Inner; internal or intrinsic qualities.
- Belege
- Evidence; plural of Beleg; proof or documents.
- zu
- To; preposition showing direction or purpose.
- bestimmen
- To determine; ascertain or establish.
- diese
- This; demonstrative pronoun or adjective.
- Ungewissheit
- Uncertainty; state of doubt or indeterminacy.
- darüber
- About that; concerning or regarding something.
- ob
- Whether; introducing conditional or alternative clauses.
- ein
- A; singular masculine nominative indefinite article.
- einzelner
- Individual; single or separate item.
- Dialog
- Dialogue; conversation between two or more people.
- einer
- One; feminine/neuter singular of ein.
- einzigen
- Single; sole or only one.
- Zeit
- Time; duration or specific temporal period.
- verfasst
- Composed; written or created a work.
- wurde
- Was; past tense singular of werden.
- Element
- Element; component or constituent part.
- das
- The; neuter nominative/accusative singular article.
- längere
- Longer; comparative form meaning extended length.
- Werke
- Works; plural of Werk; creative productions.
- wie
- Like; as or in the manner of.
- Republik
- Republic; work by Plato on justice.
- Gesetze
- Laws; plural of Gesetz; rules or statutes.
- zweifellos
- Doubtless; undoubtedly or certainly.
- stärker
- Stronger; more intense or powerful.
- betrifft
- Affects; concerns or impacts something.
- kürzere
- Shorter; comparative form meaning brief length.
- Andererseits
- On the other hand; conversely or alternatively.
- mögen
- May; to like or might happen.
- scheinbaren
- Apparent; seeming or ostensible but not real.
- Widersprüche
- Contradictions; conflicting statements or ideas.
- nur
- Only; solely or merely.
- aus
- From; preposition indicating origin or material.
- den
- The; accusative/dative plural article.
- Elementen
- Elements; plural dative of Element.
- entstehen
- To arise; come into being or originate.
- Philosoph
- Philosopher; one who pursues philosophical inquiry.
- versucht
- Attempted; tried or endeavored to do.
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