Public domain
The work and displayed translations are recorded as public domain or from an open transcription.
Sextus Empiricus
Against the Ethicists, Book XI of Against the Learned Section 10
Section 10 of 257
Canonical reference 11.10
Ancient Greek
Hermann Mutschmann and Jürgen Mau, editors · adversus-grc
ἀλλὰ γὰρ ὧς ταῦτα φωναῖς ἐξηλλαγμένα κατὰ δύναμίν ἐστι τὰ αὐτά, ὧδε καὶ ἡ τέλειος, φασί, διαίρεσις, δύναμιν ἔχουσα καθολικήν, συντάξει τοῦ καθολικοῦ διενήνοχεν. ὁ γὰρ τρόπῳ τῷδε διαιρούμενος ‟τῶν ἀνθρώπων οἱ μέν Ἕλληνες, οἱ δὲ βάρβαροι” ἴσον τι λέγει τῷ ‟εἰ τινές εἰσιν ἄνθρωποι, ἐκεῖνοι ἢ Ἕλληνές εἰσιν ἤ βάρβαροι”. ἐὰν γάρ τις ἄνθρωπος εὑρίσκηται μήτε Ἕλλην μήτε βάρβαρος, ἀνάγκη μοχθηρὰν μὲν εἶναι τὴν διαίρεσιν, ψεῦδος δὲ γίνεσθαι τὸ καθολικόν.
English AI-generated translation, non-official
Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11
But just as these expressions, though verbally different, are the same in force, so too, they say, a complete division, having universal force, differs from a universal proposition in arrangement. For one who divides in this way, “Of human beings, some are Greeks and others barbarians,” says something equivalent to “If there are any human beings, they are either Greeks or barbarians.” For if any human being is found who is neither Greek nor barbarian, the division must be defective and the universal proposition false.
French AI-generated translation, non-official
Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11
Or, de même que ces expressions, différentes par les mots, sont identiques quant au sens, de même, disent-ils, la division complète, qui possède une valeur universelle, ne diffère de l’universelle que par sa construction. Celui qui divise ainsi : « Parmi les hommes, les uns sont Grecs, les autres barbares », dit l’équivalent de : « S’il existe des hommes, ils sont soit Grecs, soit barbares. » Car si l’on trouve un homme qui ne soit ni Grec ni barbare, la division est nécessairement défectueuse et l’universelle devient fausse.
Concepts in this passage
Equipollence
View detailed page
Filter the library
Suspension of judgment
View detailed page
Filter the library
Virtue
View detailed page
Filter the library