James Adam, The Republic of Plato

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ψυχροῦ -- θερμοῦ. Hermann transposes these words and is followed by Stallbaum, Baiter, and others. “Palmaria emendatio,” cries Stallbaum; whereas J. and C. hold that it “makes nonsense of the passage.” It is not at first sight quite easy to decide between these conflicting views. The words ἐὰν μέν τις—προσπαρέχοιτ᾽ ἄν clearly mean that the desire of cold drink is due to thirst plus heat, i.e. thirst supplies the desire of drink, and the heat present in the thirst supplies in addition (προσπαρέχοιτ᾽ ἄν) the desire of cold: see also on τοῦ δὲ—προσγιγνόμενα below. This is in harmony with common sense and also with the theory of Lys. 215 E ἐπιθυμεῖν γὰρ τοῦ τοιούτου (sc. ἐναντίου) ἕκαστον, ἀλλ᾽ οὐ τοῦ ὁμοίου. τὸ μὲν γὰρ ξηρὸν ὑγροῦ, τὸ δὲ ψυχρὸν θερμοῦ κτλ.: cf. also Symp. 186 B. But ἐὰν δὲ—πολλὴ ἡ δίψα ᾖ seems to proceed on the opposite or homoeopathic principle. The presence of πλῆθος produces a desire not for its opposite but for itself. The solution of the difficulty is to be found in the different character of the notions θερμότης and πλῆθος. θερμότης is something distinct from δίψος, though superadded to it, for which reason Plato does not use the expression θερμὸν δίψος; whereas πλῆθος is in reality πλῆθος δίψης, and πολλὴ δίψα, as experience shews, desires much drink. The common sense point of view is taken by Plato throughout, and is expressly justified by him in 438 E οὔ τι λέγω ὡς οἵων ἂν ᾖ, τοιαῦτα καὶ ἔστιν. For these reasons I heartily agree with the Oxford editors. Hermann's proposal is a product of the inveterate tendency to suppose that wherever we turn in Plato we rub against the theory of Ideas; but the use of παρουσία here (in spite of Peiper's Ontol. Pl. pp. 602 ff., Zeller^{4} II 1, p. 560 note, and many other critics) is not metaphysical, but logical, and πλῆθος is certainly not an Idea in this passage. See on this point 438 B, 438 C notes

αὐτοῦ πώματος: ‘merely of drink’ )( much drink, cold drink, etc. Cf. VIII 559 A αὐτοῦ σίτου τε καὶ ὄψου. For καὶ αὖ κτλ. Herwerden would expect καὶ αὐτὸ <τὸ> πεινῆν <αὐτοῦ> βρώματος. Further specification than Plato gives is unnecessary, for τὸ πεινῆν as well as αὐτὸ τὸ δίψος is subject to οὐ μή ποτε—οὖπερ πέφυκεν. The voice pauses slightly after πεινῆν.

τοῦ δὲ -- προσγιγνόμενα: as e.g. θερμότης, where it προσγίγνεται τῷ δίψει (cf. E above), is the desire of ψυχροῦ, ψυχρότης of θερμοῦ. The type of desires illustrated by the desire of ψυχρὸν πῶμα appears to Plato composite and not simple.