Kronos, mente pura. A proposito di Cratilo, 396 B-C

In Plato's 'Cratylus', the name of Cronos is interpreted as 'Koros tou nou', with the statement that 'Koros' doesn't mean "child", but "purity". The most recent Oxonian edition agrees to the proposal that here Socrates would reject even the meaning of 'Koros' in the sense of "fullness, satiety". This conjecture is essentially the same that Proclus argues in opposition to Plotinus. Even though from different premises, they both believe that Plato considers Cronos as the ontological level of the Intellect. Without appealing to the doctrine of principles, the etymology can be understood rather in the light of the speculation of the so-called 'meteorologoi': with its uniform and ordered movements, the sky looks like the proper place of pure mind, but also as the cause of the purification of the mind thanks to its contemplation. We find here echoes of the theory of ionic Naturalism and Pythagoreanism, united by the belief that language is appropriate instrument to penetrate reality. Plato's position in this regard is highly critical and in the 'Laws' the association between Cronus and Intellect is founded on different bases.