itis the alpha is substituted for an omicron, so the name Apollon
is equivalent to omopolon; only the second lambda is added in order to
avoid the ill-omened sound of destruction (apolon). Now the suspicion
of this destructive power still haunts the minds of some who do not
consider the true value of the name, which, as I was saying just now,
has reference to all the powers of the God, who is the single one,
the everdarting, the purifier, the mover together (aplous, aei Ballon,
apolouon, omopolon). The name of the Muses and of music would seem to be
derived from their making philosophical enquiries (mosthai); and Leto
is called by this name, because she is such a gentle Goddess, and so
willing (ethelemon) to grant our requests; or her name may be Letho,
as she is often called by strangers--they seem to imply by it her
amiability, and her smooth and easy-going way of behaving. Artemis is
named from her healthy (artemes), well-ordered nature, and because of
her love of virginity, perhaps because she is a proficient in virtue
(arete), and perhaps also as hating intercourse of the sexes (ton aroton
misesasa). He who gave the Goddess her name may have had any or all of
these reasons.

HERMOGENES: What is the meaning of Dionysus and Aphrodite?

SOCRATES: Son of Hipponicus, you ask a solemn question; there is a
serious and also a facetious explanation of both these names; the
serious explanation is not to be had from me, but there is no objection
to your hearing the facetious one; for the Gods too love a joke.
Dionusos is simply didous oinon (giver of wine), Didoinusos, as he might
be called in fun,--and oinos is properly oionous, because wine makes
those who drink, think (oiesthai) that they have a mind (noun) when they
have none. The derivation of Aphrodite, born of the foam (aphros), may
be fairly accepted on the authority of Hesiod.

HERMOGENES: Still there remains Athene, whom you, Socrates, as an
Athenian, will surely not forget; there are also Hephaestus and Ares.

SOCRATES: I am not likely to forget them.

HERMOGENES: No, indeed.

SOCRATES: There is no difficulty in explaining the other appellation of
Athene.

HERMOGENES: What other appellation?

SOCRATES: We call her Pallas.

HERMOGENES: To be sure.

SOCRATES: And we cannot be wrong in supposing that this is derived from
armed dances. For the elevation of oneself or anything else above
the earth, or by the use of the hands, we call shaking (pallein), or
d