HERMOGENES：Verylikely。
SOCRATES：Yes，verylikely。Butstilltheenquirydemandsourearnestattentionandwemustnotflinch。Forweshouldremember，thatifapersongoonanalysingnamesintowords，andenquiringalsointotheelementsoutofwhichthewordsareformed，andkeepsonalwaysrepeatingthisprocess，hewhohastoanswerhimmustatlastgiveuptheenquiryindespair。
HERMOGENES：Verytrue。
SOCRATES：Andatwhatpointoughthetoloseheartandgiveuptheenquiry？Musthenotstopwhenhecomestothenameswhicharetheelementsofallothernamesandsentences；forthesecannotbesupposedtobemadeupofothernames？Thewordagathon（good），forexample，is，asweweresaying，acompoundofagastos（admirable）andthoos（swift）。Andprobablythoosismadeupofotherelements，andtheseagainofothers。
Butifwetakeawordwhichisincapableoffurtherresolution，thenweshallberightinsayingthatwehaveatlastreachedaprimaryelement，whichneednotberesolvedanyfurther。