the memorabilia-第11章
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all imposters he surely is the biggest who can delude people into
thinking that he is fit to lead the state； when all the while he is a
worthless creature。〃＇4＇
＇1＇ ｛apotrepon proutrepen｝。 See K。 Joel； op。 cit。 p。 450 foll。
＇2＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 vi。 22。
＇3＇ Or； 〃furniture of the finest；〃 like Arion's in Herod。 i。 24。
Schneid。 cf。 Demosth。 565。 6。
＇4＇ Here follows the sentence ＇｛emoi men oun edokei kai tou
alazoneuesthai apotrepein tous sunontas toiade dialegomenos｝＇；
which； for the sake of convenience； I have attached to the first
sentence of Bk。 II。 ch。 i。 ＇｛edokei de moi 。 。 。 ponou。｝＇ I
believe that the commentators are right in bracketing both one and
the other as editorial interpolations。
BOOK II
I
Now； if the effect of such discourses was； as I imagine； to deter his
hearers from the paths of quackery and false…seeming；＇1＇ so I am sure
that language like the following was calculated to stimulate his
followers to practise self…control and endurance： self…control in the
matters of eating； drinking； sleeping； and the cravings of lust；
endurance of cold and heat and toil and pain。 He had noticed the undue
licence which one of his acquaintances allowed himself in all such
matters。＇2＇ Accordingly he thus addressed him：
＇1＇ This sentence in the Greek concludes Bk。 I。 There is something
wrong or very awkward in the text here。
＇2＇ Cf。 Grote； 〃Plato；〃 III。 xxxviii。 p。 530。
Tell me； Aristippus （Socrates said）； supposing you had two children
entrusted to you to educate； one of them must be brought up with an
aptitude for government； and the other without the faintest propensity
to rulehow would you educate them？ What do you say？ Shall we begin
our inquiry from the beginning； as it were； with the bare elements of
food and nutriment？
Ar。 Yes； food to begin with； by all means； being a first principle；＇3＇
without which there is no man living but would perish。
＇3＇ Aristippus plays upon the word ｛arkhe｝。
Soc。 Well； then； we may expect； may we not； that a desire to grasp
food at certain seasons will exhibit itself in both the children？
Ar。 It is to be expected。
Soc。 Which； then； of the two must be trained； of his own free will；＇4＇
to prosecute a pressing business rather than gratify the belly？
＇4＇ ｛proairesis｝。
Ar。 No doubt the one who is being trained to govern； if we would not
have affairs of state neglected during＇5＇ his government。
＇5＇ Lit。 〃along of。〃
Soc。 And the same pupil must be furnished with a power of holding out
against thirst also when the craving to quench it comes upon him？
Ar。 Certainly he must。
Soc。 And on which of the two shall we confer such self…control in
regard to sleep as shall enable him to rest late and rise early； or
keep vigil； if the need arise？
Ar。 To the same one of the two must be given that endurance also。
Soc。 Well； and a continence in regard to matters sexual so great that
nothing of the sort shall prevent him from doing his duty？ Which of
them claims that？
Ar。 The same one of the pair again。
Soc。 Well； and on which of the two shall be bestowed； as a further
gift； the voluntary resolution to face toils rather than turn and flee
from them？
Ar。 This； too； belongs of right to him who is being trained for
government。
Soc。 Well； and to which of them will it better accord to be taught all
knowledge necessary towards the mastery of antagonists？
Ar。 To our future ruler certainly； for without these parts of learning
all his other capacities will be merely waste。
Soc。 ＇6＇Will not a man so educated be less liable to be entrapped by
rival powers； and so escape a common fate of living creatures； some of
which （as we all know） are hooked through their own greediness； and
often even in spite of a native shyness； but through appetite for food
they are drawn towards the bait； and are caught； while others are
similarly ensnared by drink？
＇6＇ ＇SS。 4； 5； L。 Dind。 ed Lips。＇
Ar。 Undoubtedly。
Soc。 And others again are victims of amorous heat； as quails； for
instance； or partridges； which； at the cry of the hen…bird； with lust
and expectation of such joys grow wild； and lose their power of
computing dangers： on they rush； and fall into the snare of the
hunter？
Aristippus assented。
Soc。 And would it not seem to be a base thing for a man to be affected
like the silliest bird or beast？ as when the adulterer invades the
innermost sanctum＇7＇ of the house； though he is well aware of the
risks which his crime involves；＇8＇ the formidable penalties of the
law； the danger of being caught in the toils； and then suffering the
direst contumely。 Considering all the hideous penalties which hang
over the adulterer's head； considering also the many means at hand to
release him from the thraldom of his passion； that a man should so
drive headlong on to the quicksands of perdition＇9＇what are we to
say of such frenzy？ The wretch who can so behave must surely be
tormented by an evil spirit？＇10＇
＇7＇ ｛eis as eirktas｝。 The penetralia。
＇8＇ Or； 〃he knows the risks he runs of suffering those penalties with
which the law threatens his crime should he fall into the snare；
and being caught； be mutilated。〃
＇9＇ Or； 〃leap headlong into the jaws of danger。〃
＇10＇ ｛kakodaimonontos｝。
Ar。 So it strikes me。
Soc。 And does it not strike you as a sign of strange indifference
that； whereas the greater number of the indispensable affairs of men；
as for instance； those of war and agriculture； and more than half the
rest； need to be conducted under the broad canopy of heaven；＇11＇ yet
the majority of men are quite untrained to wrestle with cold and heat？
＇11＇ Or； 〃in the open air。〃
Aristippus again assented。
Soc。 And do you not agree that he who is destined to rule must train
himself to bear these things lightly？
Ar。 Most certainly。
Soc。 And whilst we rank those who are self…disciplined in all these
matters among persons fit to rule； we are bound to place those
incapable of such conduct in the category of persons without any
pretension whatsoever to be rulers？
Ar。 I assent。
Soc。 Well； then； since you know the rank peculiar to either section of
mankind； did it ever strike you to consider to which of the two you
are best entitled to belong？
Yes I have （replied Aristippus）。 I do not dream for a moment of
ranking myself in the class of those who wish to rule。 In fact；
considering how serious a business it is to cater for one's own
private needs； I look upon it as the mark of a fool not to be content
with that； but to further saddle oneself with the duty of providing
the rest of the community with whatever they may be pleased to want。
That； at the cost of much personal enjoyment； a man should put himself
at the head of a state； and then； if he fail to carry through every
jot and tittle of that state's desire； be held to criminal account；
does seem to me the very extravagance of folly。 Why； bless me！ states
claim to treat their rulers precisely as I treat my domestic slaves。 I
expect my attendants to furnish me with an abundance of necessaries；
but not to lay a finger on one of them themselves。 So these states
regard it as the duty of a ruler to provide them with all the good
things imaginable； but to keep his own hands off them all the
while。＇12＇ So then； for my part； if anybody desires to have a heap of
pother himself；＇13＇ and be a nuisance to the rest of the world； I will
educate him in the manner suggested； and he shall take his place among
those who are fit to rule； but for myself； I beg to be enrolled
amongst those who wish to spend their days as easily and pleasantly as
possible。
＇12＇ Or； 〃but he must have no finger in the pie himself。〃
＇13＇ See Kuhner ad loc。
Soc。 Shall we then at this point turn and inquire which of the two are
likely to lead the pleasanter life； the rulers or the ruled？
Ar。 By all means let us do so。
Soc。 To begin then with the nations and races known to ourselves。＇14＇
In Asia the Persians are the rulers； while the Syrians； Phrygians；
Lydians are ruled； and in Europe we find the Scythians ruling； and the
Maeotians being ruled。 In Africa＇15＇ the Carthaginians are rulers； the
Libya
