ES: I should imagine that the name Hermes has to do with speech,
and signifies that he is the interpreter (ermeneus), or messenger, or
thief, or liar, or bargainer; all that sort of thing has a great deal to
do with language; as I was telling you, the word eirein is expressive of
the use of speech, and there is an often-recurring Homeric word
emesato, which means 'he contrived'--out of these two words, eirein
and mesasthai, the legislator formed the name of the God who invented
language and speech; and we may imagine him dictating to us the use
of this name: 'O my friends,' says he to us, 'seeing that he is the
contriver of tales or speeches, you may rightly call him Eirhemes.'
And this has been improved by us, as we think, into Hermes. Iris also
appears to have been called from the verb 'to tell' (eirein), because
she was a messenger.

HERMOGENES: Then I am very sure that Cratylus was quite right in saying
that I was no true son of Hermes (Ermogenes), for I am not a good hand
at speeches.

SOCRATES: There is also reason, my friend, in Pan being the
double-formed son of Hermes.

HERMOGENES: How do you make that out?

SOCRATES: You are aware that speech signifies all things (pan), and is
always turning them round and round, and has two forms, true and false?

HERMOGENES: Certainly.

SOCRATES: Is not the truth that is in him the smooth or sacred form
which dwells above among the Gods, whereas falsehood dwells among men
below, and is rough like the goat of tragedy; for tales and falsehoods
have generally to do with the tragic or goatish life, and tragedy is the
place of them?

HERMOGENES: Very true.

SOCRATES: Then surely Pan, who is the declarer of all things (pan) and
the perpetual mover (aei polon) of all things, is rightly called aipolos
(goat-herd), he being the two-formed son of Hermes, smooth in his upper
part, and rough and goatlike in his lower regions. And, as the son of
Hermes, he is speech or the brother of speech, and that brother should
be like brother is no marvel. But, as I was saying, my dear Hermogenes,
let us get away from the Gods.

HERMOGENES: From these sort of Gods, by all means, Socrates. But why
should we not discuss another kind of Gods--the sun, moon, stars, earth,
aether, air, fire, water, the seasons, and the year?

SOCRATES: You impose a great many tasks upon me. Still, if you wish, I
will not refuse.

HERMOGENES: You will oblige me.

SOCRATES: How would you have me begin? Shal