the memorabilia-第7部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


of　wit？

＇10＇　Cf。　Plat。　〃Phileb。〃　30　B：　〃Soc。　May　our　body　be　said　to　have　a
　　　　soul？　Pro。　Clearly。　Soc。　And　whence　comes　that　soul；　my　dear
　　　　Protarchus；　unless　the　body　of　the　universe；　which　contains
　　　　elements　similar　to　our　bodies　but　finer；　has　also　a　soul？　Can
　　　　there　be　any　other　source？〃Jowett。　Cic。　〃de　N。　D。〃　ii。　6；　iii。
　　　　11。

Ar。　It　may　be；　for　my　eyes　fail　to　see　the　master　agents　of　these；　as
one　sees　the　fabricators　of　things　produced　on　earth。

Soc。　No　more　do　you　see　your　own　soul；　which　is　the　master　agent　of
your　body；　so　that；　as　far　as　that　goes；　you　may　maintain；　if　you
like；　that　you　do　nothing　with　intelligence；＇11＇　but　everything　by
chance。

＇11＇　Or；　〃by　your　wit；〃　｛gnome｝。

At　this　point　Aristodemus：　I　assure　you；　Socrates；　that　I　do　not
disdain　the　Divine　power。　On　the　contrary；　my　belief　is　that　the
Divinity　is　too　grand　to　need　any　service　which　I　could　render。

Soc。　But　the　grander　that　power　is；　which　deigns　to　tend　and　wait　upon
you；　the　more　you　are　called　upon　to　honour　it。

Ar。　Be　well　assured；　if　I　could　believe　the　gods　take　thought　for　all
men；　I　would　not　neglect　them。

Soc。　How　can　you　suppose　that　they　do　not　so　take　thought？　Who；　in　the
first　place；　gave　to　man　alone　of　living　creatures　his　erect　posture；
enabling　him　to　see　farther　in　front　of　him　and　to　contemplate　more
freely　the　height　above；　and　to　be　less　subject　to　distress　than　other
creatures　＇endowed　like　himself　with　eyes　and　ears　and　mouth＇。＇12＇
Consider　next　how　they　gave　to　the　beast　of　the　field＇13＇　feet　as　a
means　of　progression　only；　but　to　man　they　gave　in　addition　hands
those　hands　which　have　achieved　so　much　to　raise　us　in　the　scale　of
happiness　above　all　animals。　Did　they　not　make　the　tongue　also？　which
belongs　indeed　alike　to　man　and　beast；　but　in　man　they　fashioned　it　so
as　to　play　on　different　parts　of　the　mouth　at　different　times；　whereby
we　can　produce　articulate　speech；　and　have　a　code　of　signals　to
express　our　every　want　to　one　another。　Or　consider　the　pleasures　of
the　sexual　appetite；　limited　in　the　rest　of　the　animal　kingdom　to
certain　seasons；　but　in　the　case　of　man　a　series　prolonged　unbroken　to
old　age。　Nor　did　it　content　the　Godhead　merely　to　watch　over　the
interests　of　man's　body。　What　is　of　far　higher　import；　he　implanted　in
man　the　noblest　and　most　excellent　type　of　soul。　For　what　other
creature；　to　begin　with；　has　a　soul　to　appreciate　the　existence　of　the
gods　who　have　arranged　this　grand　and　beauteous　universe？　What　other
tribe　of　animals　save　man　can　render　service　to　the　gods？　How　apt　is
the　spirit　of　man　to　take　precautions　against　hunger　and　thirst；　cold
and　heat；　to　alleviate　disease　and　foster　strength！　how　suited　to
labour　with　a　view　to　learning！　how　capable　of　garnering　in　the
storehouse　of　his　memory　all　that　he　has　heard　or　seen　or　understood！
Is　it　not　most　evident　to　you　that　by　the　side　of　other　animals　men
live　and　move　a　race　of　godsby　nature　excellent；　in　beauty　of　body
and　of　soul　supreme？　For；　mark　you；　had　a　creature　of　man's　wit　been
encased　in　the　body　of　an　ox；＇14＇　he　would　have　been　powerless　to
carry　out　his　wishes；　just　as　the　possession　of　hands　divorced　from
human　wit　is　profitless。　And　then　you　come；　you　who　have　obtained
these　two　most　precious　attributes；　and　give　it　as　your　opinion；　that
the　gods　take　no　thought　or　care　for　you。　Why；　what　will　you　have　them
to　do；　that　you　may　believe　and　be　persuaded　that　you　too　are　in　their
thoughts？

＇12＇　See　Kuhner　for　an　attempt　to　cure　the　text。

＇13＇　｛erpetois｝；　a　〃poetical〃　word。　Cf。　〃Od。〃　iv。　418；　Herod。　i。　140。

＇14＇　See　Aristot。　〃de　Part。　Animal。〃　iv。　10。

Ar。　When　they　treat　me　as　you　tell　us　they　treat　you；　and　send　me
counsellors　to　warn　me　what　I　am　to　do　and　what　abstain　from
doing；＇15＇　I　will　believe。

＇15＇　See　IV。　iii。　12。

Soc。　Send　you　counsellors！　Come　now；　what　when　the　people　of　Athens
make　inquiry　by　oracle；　and　the　gods'　answer　comes？　Are　you　not　an
Athenian？　Think　you　not　that　to　you　also　the　answer　is　given？　What
when　they　send　portents　to　forewarn　the　states　of　Hellas？　or　to　all
mankind？　Are　you　not　a　man？　a　Hellene？　Are　not　these　intended　for　you
also？　Can　it　be　that　you　alone　are　excepted　as　a　signal　instance　of
Divine　neglect？　Again；　do　you　suppose　that　the　gods　could　have
implanted　in　the　heart　of　man　the　belief　in　their　capacity　to　work　him
weal　or　woe　had　they　not　the　power？　Would　not　men　have　discovered　the
imposture　in　all　this　lapse　of　time？　Do　you　not　perceive　that　the
wisest　and　most　perdurable　of　human　institutionsbe　they　cities　or
tribes　of　menare　ever　the　most　God…fearing；　and　in　the　individual
man　the　riper　his　age　and　judgment；　the　deeper　his　religousness？　Ay；
my　good　sir　（he　broke　forth）；　lay　to　heart　and　understand　that　even　as
your　own　mind　within　you　can　turn　and　dispose　of　your　body　as　it
lists；　so　ought　we　to　think　that　the　wisdom　which　abides　within　the
universal　frame　does　so　dispose　of　all　things　as　it　finds　agreeable　to
itself；　for　hardly　may　it　be　that　your　eye　is　able　to　range　over　many
a　league；　but　that　the　eye　of　God　is　powerless　to　embrace　all　things
at　a　glance；　or　that　to　your　soul　it　is　given　to　dwell　in　thought　on
matters　here　or　far　away　in　Egypt　or　in　Sicily；　but　that　the　wisdom
and　thought　of　God　is　not　sufficient　to　include　all　things　at　one
instant　under　His　care。　If　only　you　would　copy　your　own　behaviour＇16＇
where　human　beings　are　concerned。　It　is　by　acts　of　service　and　of
kindness　that　you　discover　which　of　your　fellows　are　willing　to
requite　you　in　kind。　It　is　by　taking　another　into　your　counsel　that
you　arrive　at　the　secret　of　his　wisdom。　If；　on　like　principle；　you
will　but　make　trial　of　the　gods　by　acts　of　service；　whether　they　will
choose　to　give　you　counsel　in　matters　obscure　to　mortal　vision；　you
shall　discover　the　nature　and　the　greatness　of　Godhead　to　be　such　that
they　are　able　at　once　to　see　all　things　and　to　hear　all　things　and　to
be　present　everywhere；　nor　does　the　least　thing　escape　their　watchful
care。

＇16＇　Or；　〃reason　as　you　are　wont　to　do。〃

To　my　mind　the　effect　of　words　like　these　was　to　cause　those　about　him
to　hold　aloof　from　unholiness；　baseness；　and　injustice；　not　only
whilst　they　were　seen　of　men；　but　even　in　the　solitary　place；　since
they　must　believe　that　no　part　of　their　conduct　could　escape　the　eye
of　Heaven。


V

I　suppose　it　may　be　taken　as　admitted　that　self…control　is　a　noble
acquirement　for　a　man。＇1＇　If　so；　let　us　turn　and　consider　whether　by
language　like　the　following　he　was　likely　to　lead　his　listeners
onwards＇2＇　to　the　attainment　of　this　virtue。　〃Sirs；〃　he　would　say；　〃if
a　war　came　upon　us　and　we　wished　to　choose　a　man　who　would　best　help
us　to　save　ourselves　and　to　subdue　our　enemy；　I　suppose　we　should
scarcely　select　one　whom　we　knew　to　be　a　slave　to　his　belly；　to　wine；
or　lust；　and　prone　to　succumb　to　toil　or　sleep。　Could　we　expect　such
an　one　to　save　us　or　to　master　our　foes？　Or　if　one　of　us　were　nearing
the　end　of　his　days；　and　he　wished　to　discover　some　one　to　whom　he
might　entrust　his　sons　for　education；　his　maiden　daughters　for
protection；　and　his　property　in　general　for　preservation；　would　he
deem　a　libertine　worthy　of　such　offices？　Why；　no　one　would　dream　of
entrusting　his　flocks　and　herds；　his　storehouses　and　barns；　or　the
superintendence　of　his　works　to　the　tender　mercies　of　an　intemperate
slave。　If　a　butler　or　an　errand　boy　with　such　a　character　were　offered
to　us　we　would　not　take　him　as　a　free　gift。　And　if　he　would　not　accept
an　intemperate　slave；　what　pains　should　the　master　himself　take　to
avoid　that　imputation。＇3＇　For　with　the　incontinent　man　it　is　not　as
with　the　self…seeker　and　the　covetous。　These　may　at　any　rate　be　held
to　enrich　themselves　in　depriving　others。　But　the　intemperate　man
cannot　claim　in　like　fashion　to　be　a　blessing　to　himself　if　a　curse　to
his　neighbours；　nay；　the　mischief　which　he　may　cause　to　others　is
nothing　by　comparison　with　that　which　redounds　against　himself；　since
it　is　the　height　of　mischief　to　ruinI　do　not　say　one's　own　house　and
propertybut　one's　own　body　and　one's　own　soul。　Or　to　take　an　example
from　social　intercourse；　no　one　cares　for　a　guest　who　evidently　takes
more　pleasure　in　the　wine　and　the　viands　than　in　the　friends　beside
himwho　stints　his　comrades　of　the　affection　due　to　them　to　dote　upon
a　mistress。　Does　it　not　come　to　this；　that　every　honest　man　is　bound
to　look　upon　self…restraint　as　the　very　corner…stone　of　virtue：＇4＇
which　he　should　seek　to　lay　down　as　the　basis　and　foundation　of　his
soul？　Without　self…restraint　who　can　lay　any　good　lesson　to　heart　or
practise　it　when　learnt　in　any　degree　worth　speaking　of？　Or；　to　put　it
conversely；　what　slave　of　pleasure　will　not　suffer　degeneracy　of　soul
and　body？　By　Hera；＇5＇　well　may　every　free　man　pray　to　be　saved　from
the　service　of　such　a　slave；　and　well　too　may　he　who　is　in　bondage　to
such　pleasures　supplicate　Heaven　to　send　him　good　masters；　seeing　that
is　the　one　hope　of　salvation　left　him。〃

＇1＇　Lit。　〃a　beautiful　and　brave　possesion。〃

＇2＇　｛proubibaze｝。

＇3＇　Or；　〃how　should　the　master　himself　beware　lest　he　fall　into　that
　　　　category。〃

＇4＇　｛krepida｝。　See　Pind。　〃Pyth。〃　iv。　138；　ib。　vii。　3；　ib。　fr。　93。

＇5＇　See　below；　III。　x。　9；　xi。　5；　IV。　ii。　9；　iv。　8；　〃Econ。〃　x。　1；
　　　　〃Cyrop。〃　I。　iv。　12；　Plat。　〃Phaedr。〃　230　B。　Cf。　Shakesp。　〃by'r
　　　　Lakin。〃

Well…tempered　words：　yet　his　self…restraint　shone　forth　even　more　in
his　acts　than　in　his　language。　Not　only　was　he　master　over　the
pleasures　which　flow　from　the　body；　but　of　those　also　which　are　fed　by
riches；　his　belief　being　that　he　who　receives　money　from　this　or　that
chance　donor　sets　up　over　himself　a　master；　and　binds　himself　to　an
abominable　slavery。


VI

In　this　context　some　discussions　with　Antiphon　the　sophist＇1＇　deserve
record。　Antiphon　approaches　Socrates　in　hope　of　drawing　away　his
associates；　and　in　their　presence　thus　accosts　him。

＇1＇　｛o　teratoskopos｝；　〃jealous　of　Socrates；〃　according　to　Aristotle
　　　　ap。　Diog。　Laert。　II。　v。　25。　See　Cobet；　〃Pros。　Xen。〃

Antiphon。　Why；　Socrates；　I　always　thought　it　was　expected　of　students
of　philosophy　to　grow　in　happiness　daily；　but　you　seem　to　h