lesser hippias-第7章
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HIPPIAS： Yes； in a race。
SOCRATES： Well； but at a wrestling matchwhich is the better wrestler； he
who falls voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： He who falls voluntarily； doubtless。
SOCRATES： And is it worse or more dishonourable at a wrestling match； to
fall； or to throw another？
HIPPIAS： To fall。
SOCRATES： Then； at a wrestling match； he who voluntarily does base and
dishonourable actions is a better wrestler than he who does them
involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： That appears to be the truth。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of any other bodily exerciseis not he
who is better made able to do both that which is strong and that which is
weakthat which is fair and that which is foul？so that when he does bad
actions with the body； he who is better made does them voluntarily； and he
who is worse made does them involuntarily。
HIPPIAS： Yes； that appears to be true about strength。
SOCRATES： And what do you say about grace； Hippias？ Is not he who is
better made able to assume evil and disgraceful figures and postures
voluntarily； as he who is worse made assumes them involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： True。
SOCRATES： Then voluntary ungracefulness comes from excellence of the
bodily frame； and involuntary from the defect of the bodily frame？
HIPPIAS： True。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of an unmusical voice； would you prefer
the voice which is voluntarily or involuntarily out of tune？
HIPPIAS： That which is voluntarily out of tune。
SOCRATES： The involuntary is the worse of the two？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And would you choose to possess goods or evils？
HIPPIAS： Goods。
SOCRATES： And would you rather have feet which are voluntarily or
involuntarily lame？
HIPPIAS： Feet which are voluntarily lame。
SOCRATES： But is not lameness a defect or deformity？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And is not blinking a defect in the eyes？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And would you rather always have eyes with which you might
voluntarily blink and not see； or with which you might involuntarily blink？
HIPPIAS： I would rather have eyes which voluntarily blink。
SOCRATES： Then in your own case you deem that which voluntarily acts ill；
better than that which involuntarily acts ill？
HIPPIAS： Yes； certainly； in cases such as you mention。
SOCRATES： And does not the same hold of ears； nostrils； mouth； and of all
the sensesthose which involuntarily act ill are not to be desired； as
being defective； and those which voluntarily act ill are to be desired as
being good？
HIPPIAS： I agree。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of instruments；which are the better
sort of instruments to have to do with？those with which a man acts ill
voluntarily or involuntarily？ For example； had a man better have a rudder
with which he will steer ill； voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： He had better have a rudder with which he will steer ill
voluntarily。
SOCRATES： And does not the same hold of the bow and the lyre； the flute
and all other things？
HIPPIAS： Very true。
SOCRATES： And would you rather have a horse of such a temper that you may
ride him ill voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： I would rather have a horse which I could ride ill voluntarily。
SOCRATES： That would be the better horse？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then with a horse of better temper； vicious actions would be
produced voluntarily； and with a horse of bad temper involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And that would be true of a dog； or of any other animal？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And is it better to possess the mind of an archer who
voluntarily or involuntarily misses the mark？
HIPPIAS： Of him who voluntarily misses。
SOCRATES： This would be the better mind for the purposes of archery？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then the mind which involuntarily errs is worse than the mind
which errs voluntarily？
HIPPIAS： Yes； certainly； in the use of the bow。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of the art of medicine；has not the mind
which voluntarily works harm to the body； more of the healing art？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then in the art of medicine the voluntary is better than the
involuntary？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Well； and in lute…playing and in flute…playing； and in all arts
and sciences； is not that mind the better which voluntarily does what is
evil and dishonourable； and goes wrong； and is not the worse that which
does so involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： That is evident。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of the characters of slaves？ Should we
not prefer to have those who voluntarily do wrong and make mistakes； and
are they not better in their mistakes than those who commit them
involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And should we not desire to have our own minds in the best state
possible？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And will our minds be better if they do wrong and make mistakes
voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： O； Socrates； it would be a monstrous thing to say that those who
do wrong voluntarily are better than those who do wrong involuntarily！
SOCRATES： And yet that appears to be the only inference。
HIPPIAS： I do not think so。
SOCRATES： But I imagined； Hippias； that you did。 Please to answer once
more： Is not justice a power； or knowledge； or both？ Must not justice； at
all events； be one of these？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： But if justice is a power of the soul； then the soul which has
the greater power is also the more just； for that which has the greater
power； my good friend； has been proved by us to be the better。
HIPPIAS： Yes； that has been proved。
SOCRATES： And if justice is knowledge； then the wiser will be the juster
soul； and the more ignorant the more unjust？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： But if justice be power as well as knowledgethen will not the
soul which has both knowledge and power be the more just； and that which is
the more ignorant be the more unjust？ Must it not be so？
HIPPIAS： Clearly。
SOCRATES： And is not the soul which has the greater power and wisdom also
better； and better able to do both good and evil in every action？
HIPPIAS： Certainly。
SOCRATES： The soul； then； which acts ill； acts voluntarily by power and
artand these either one or both of them are elements of justice？
HIPPIAS： That seems to be true。
SOCRATES： And to do injustice is to do ill； and not to do injustice is to
do well？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And will not the better and abler soul when it does wrong； do
wrong voluntarily； and the bad soul involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： Clearly。
SOCRATES： And the good man is he who has the good soul； and the bad man is
he who has the bad？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then the good man will voluntarily do wrong； and the bad man
involuntarily； if the good man is he who has the good soul？
HIPPIAS： Which he certainly has。
SOCRATES： Then； Hippias； he who voluntarily does wrong and disgraceful
things； if there be such a man； will be the good man？
HIPPIAS： There I cannot agree with you。
SOCRATES： Nor can I agree with myself； Hippias； and yet that seems to be
the conclusion which； as far as we can see at present； must follow from our
argument。 As I was saying before； I am all abroad； and being in perplexity
am always changing my opinion。 Now； that I or any ordinary man should
wander in perplexity is not surprising； but if you wise men also wander；
and we cannot come to you and rest from our wandering； the matter begins to
be serious both to us and to you。
End
