el the things of which they have
possession, not only to take their own form, but also the form of some
opposite?

What do you mean?

I mean, as I was just now saying, and as I am sure that you know, that
those things which are possessed by the number three must not only be
three in number, but must also be odd.

Quite true.

And on this oddness, of which the number three has the impress, the
opposite idea will never intrude?

No.

And this impress was given by the odd principle?

Yes.

And to the odd is opposed the even?

True.

Then the idea of the even number will never arrive at three?

No.

Then three has no part in the even?

None.

Then the triad or number three is uneven?

Very true.

To return then to my distinction of natures which are not opposed, and
yet do not admit opposites--as, in the instance given, three, although
not opposed to the even, does not any the more admit of the even, but
always brings the opposite into play on the other side; or as two does
not receive the odd, or fire the cold--from these examples (and there
are many more of them) perhaps you may be able to arrive at the general
conclusion, that not only opposites will not receive opposites, but also
that nothing which brings the opposite will admit the opposite of
that which it brings, in that to which it is brought. And here let me
recapitulate--for there is no harm in repetition. The number five will
not admit the nature of the even, any more than ten, which is the
double of five, will admit the nature of the odd. The double has another
opposite, and is not strictly opposed to the odd, but nevertheless
rejects the odd altogether. Nor again will parts in the ratio 3:2, nor
any fraction in which there is a half, nor again in which there is a
third, admit the notion of the whole, although they are not opposed to
the whole: You will agree?

Yes, he said, I entirely agree and go along with you in that.

And now, he said, let us begin again; and do not you answer my question
in the words in which I ask it: let me have not the old safe answer of
which I spoke at first, but another equally safe, of which the truth
will be inferred by you from what has been just said. I mean that if any
one asks you 'what that is, of which the inherence makes the body
hot,' you will reply not heat (this is what I call the safe and
stupid answer), but fire, a far superior answer, which we are now in a
condition to give. Or if any one as