Plato, Timaeus 17b · 17b
Repaying the feast with words
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Timaeus — πάνυ μὲν οὖν, καὶ κατὰ δύναμίν γε οὐδὲν ἐλλείψομεν· οὐδὲ γὰρ ἂν εἴη δίκαιον, χθὲς ὑπὸ σοῦ ξενισθέντας οἷς ἦν πρέπον ξενίοις, μὴ οὐ προθύμως σὲ τοὺς λοιποὺς ἡμῶν ἀνταφεστιᾶν.
Socrates — ἆρʼ οὖν μέμνησθε ὅσα ὑμῖν καὶ περὶ ὧν ἐπέταξα εἰπεῖν;
Timaeus — τὰ μὲν μεμνήμεθα, ὅσα δὲ μή, σὺ παρὼν ὑπομνήσεις· μᾶλλον δέ, εἰ μή τί σοι χαλεπόν, ἐξ ἀρχῆς διὰ βραχέων πάλιν ἐπάνελθε αὐτά, ἵνα βεβαιωθῇ μᾶλλον παρʼ ἡμῖν.
Timaeus: By all means, and as far as our power goes we shall leave nothing undone. It would not be right for the rest of us, who were entertained by you yesterday with the hospitality that was fitting, not to repay you eagerly in kind. Socrates: Do you remember, then, how much I ordered you to speak about, and on what subjects? Timaeus: Some of it we remember, and whatever we do not, you will remind us of, since you are here. Or rather, if it is not too hard for you, go back over it again from the beginning, briefly, so that it may be made firmer with us.
Word by word
The setting
Timaeus promises full effort, and Socrates asks what they remember of the assignment he gave them. Timaeus suggests a short review from the beginning.
A note on this passage
Timaeus answers in terms of the meal. He says they were xenisthentas, entertained as guests, with xenia, the gifts and hospitality owed to a guest, and so it would not be dikaion, right, for them not to return the favour with prothymia, eagerness. The verb antaphestian is built to carry the idea of feasting back, and it casts the speeches to come as the hosts' dinner. The clause ends mē ou, two negatives that make one: it would be wrong for them to fail to do it.
Socrates checks their memory of his epitaxis, the order he gave them, and Timaeus splits the answer in two: ta men, some things, they remember, and what they do not remember Socrates can supply. Then he improves his own offer with mallon de, "or rather," and asks for a review ex archēs dia brachéōn, "from the beginning, in brief." The purpose clause uses bebaiōthēi, "may be made firm," a word for making something secure so that it will hold.
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