And yet, surely, the one was shown to have parts; and if parts, then
a beginning, middle and end?
Yes.
And a beginning, both of the one itself and of all other things,
comes into being first of all; and after the beginning, the others
follow, until you reach the end?
Certainly.
And all these others we shall affirm to be parts of the whole and of
the one, which, as soon as the end is reached, has become whole and
one?
Yes; that is what we shall say.
But the end comes last, and the one is of such a nature as to come
into being with the last; and, since the one cannot come into being
except in accordance with its own nature, its nature will require that
it should come into being after the others, simultaneously with the
end.
Clearly.
Then the one is younger than the others and the others older than
the one.
That also is clear in my judgment.
Well, and must not a beginning or any other part of the one or of
anything, if it be a part and not parts, being a part, be also of
necessity one?
Certainly.
And will not the one come into being together with each
part-together with the first part when that comes into being, and
together with the second part and with all the rest, and will not be
wanting to any part, which is added to any other part until it has
reached the last and become one whole; it will be wanting neither to
the middle, nor to the first, nor to the last, nor to any of them,
while the process of becoming is going on?
True.
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