in the matter, we must surely first make clear what the Greek words ἐόν and ἔμμεναι signify. What they indicate presumably belongs together. Even linguistically, "being" and "to be" are no more than different forms of the same word. They designate, so it seems, the same thing.
We can stress and specify that the two words belong together, and still not be able to think properly what is designated by the words. Indeed, we must give particular attention to the manner in which they belong together, if we are to hear Parmenides' saying at all in the proper way.
Fortunately, Parmenides himself, by Ms manner of stating, gives us a hint which helps us to bring out the manner in which ἐόν and ἔμμεναι, "being" and "to be," belong together.
For Parmenides elsewhere frequently uses the word ἐόν for ἔμμεναι, εἶναι. At first glance, and especially in the light of the saying we are discussing, that seems strange. But in substance, that usage has good grounds, as good anything can have. If we substitute the usage just mentioned, ἐόν, for ἔμμεναι, the saying runs:
"χρὴ τὸ λέγειν τε νοεῖν τ’ἐὸν ἐόν."
According to the wording, the same thing is now said twice—and thus nothing at all is said. That is, unless the same word ἐόν says different things in the first and the second place. And so it does. This is possible only if one and the same word, ἐόν, has two different meanings. But does not every word have more than one meaning? Doubtless. The multiple meanings of the word ἐόν, however, are neither accidental nor vague. Rather, the word has two meanings in a specific and distinctive sense.
A grammatical reflection is needed to make the point clear. What reservations there are concerning the extent of its validity will become obvious in what follows.
The word "being," by its structure, sounds and speaks