ABSTRACT
Interpretedinthisway,thefunctionofthesecondpartofParmenides' poemistostrengthentheimpactofthefirst.Andyet,Ithinkitrevealsan uneasiness,alackofcertainty:Parmenidesfelttheneedtoexplainourworld oferrorandillusion,evenifonlytocombatandtotranscendit;hefelt,and admitted,theneedtomakehisreadersecureagainstfalseclaimstoknowledge.Heclearlydidnotadmit(inanticipationofMarx'ssaying)thathe wasnoParmenidean.ButhefelttheneedtopropuphiscasebywhatI mayperhapscalla'defensiveattack';andthisIthinkcanonlymeanthathe felt,howeverunconsciously,thattherewassomethingweakinhisWayof Truth,inspiteofitsgreatlogicalstrength.ThisdiagnosisofParmenides' SecondWayasadefensiveattack,asanapology-a'Parmenideanapology'as Iwillcallit-issupportedbythefactthathisgreatpupilZenoalsomade useofdefensiveattacks-indeed,perhapsthemostsearchingandingeniousdefensiveattacksknowninthehistoryofphilosophy.
