Jowett: affirmation

Yes, Socrates  , said Zeno  . But although you are as keen as a Spartan hound in pursuing the track, you do not fully apprehend the true motive of the composition, which is not really such an artificial work as you imagine ; for what you speak of was an accident ; there was no pretence of a great purpose ; nor any serious intention of deceiving the world. The truth is, that these writings of mine were meant to protect the arguments of Parmenides   against those who make fun of him and seek to show the many ridiculous and contradictory results which they suppose to follow from the AFFIRMATION of the one. My answer is addressed to the partisans of the many, whose attack I return with interest by retorting upon them that their hypothesis of the being of many, if carried out, appears to be still more ridiculous than the hypothesis of the being of one. Zeal for my master led me to write the book in the days of my youth, but some one stole the copy ; and therefore I had no choice whether it should be published or not ; the motive, however, of writing, was not the ambition of an elder man, but the pugnacity of a young one. This you do not seem to see, Socrates ; though in other respects, as I was saying, your notion is a very just one. PARMENIDES

Str. AFFIRMATION. SOPHIST

Str. When the AFFIRMATION or denial takes Place in silence and in the mind only, have you any other name by which to call it but opinion ? SOPHIST