the memorabilia-第13章

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＇27＇　Epicharmus　of　Cos；　the　chief　comic　poet　among　the　Dorians；　fl。
　　　　500　B。C。　Cf。　Plat。　〃Theaet。〃　152　E；　〃the　prince　of　comedy〃；
　　　　〃Gorg。〃　505　D。

And　again　in　another　passage　he　exclaims：

　　　　Set　not　thine　heart　on　soft　things；　thou　knave；　lest　thou　light
　　　　upon　the　hard。

And　that　wise　man　Prodicus＇28＇　delivers　himself　in　a　like　strain
concerning　virtue　in　that　composition　of　his　about　Heracles；　which
crowds　have　listened　to。＇29＇　This；　as　far　as　I　can　recollect　it；　is
the　substance　at　least　of　what　he　says：

＇28＇　Prodicus　of　Ceos。　See　Plat。　〃Men。〃　24；　〃Cratyl。〃　1；　Philostr。
　　　　〃Vit。　Soph。〃　i。　12。

＇29＇　Or；　〃which　he　is　fond　of　reciting　as　a　specimen　of　style。〃　The
　　　　title　of　the　｛epideixis｝　was　｛'Orai｝　according　to　Suidas；
　　　　｛Prodikos｝。

〃When　Heracles　was　emerging　from　boyhood　into　the　bloom　of　youth；
having　reached　that　season　in　which　the　young　man；　now　standing　upon
the　verge　of　independence；　shows　plainly　whether　he　will　enter　upon
the　path　of　virtue　or　of　vice；　he　went　forth　into　a　quiet　place；　and
sat　debating　with　himself　which　of　those　two　paths　he　should　pursue；
and　as　he　there　sat　musing；　there　appeared　to　him　two　women　of　great
stature　which　drew　nigh　to　him。　The　one　was　fair　to　look　upon；　frank
and　free　by　gift　of　nature；＇30＇　her　limbs　adorned　with　purity　and　her
eyes　with　bashfulness；　sobriety　set　the　rhythm　of　her　gait；　and　she
was　clad　in　white　apparel。　The　other　was　of　a　different　type；　the
fleshy　softness　of　her　limbs　betrayed　her　nurture；　while　the
complexion　of　her　skin　was　embellished　that　she　might　appear　whiter
and　rosier　than　she　really　was；　and　her　figure　that　she　might　seem
taller　than　nature　made　her；　she　stared　with　wide…open　eyes；　and　the
raiment　wherewith　she　was　clad　served　but　to　reveal　the　ripeness　of
her　bloom。　With　frequent　glances　she　surveyed　her　person；　or　looked　to
see　if　others　noticed　her；　while　ever　and　anon　she　fixed　her　gaze　upon
the　shadow　of　herself　intently。

＇30＇　Reading　｛eleutherion　phusei；　。　。　。｝　or　if　｛eleutherion；
　　　　phusei　。　。　。｝　translate　〃nature　had　adorned　her　limbs　。　。　。〃

〃Now　when　these　two　had　drawn　near　to　Heracles；　she　who　was　first
named　advanced　at　an　even　pace＇31＇　towards　him；　but　the　other；　in　her
eagerness　to　outstrip　her；　ran　forward　to　the　youth；　exclaiming；　'I
see　you；　Heracles；　in　doubt　and　difficulty　what　path　of　life　to
choose；　make　me　your　friend；　and　I　will　lead　you　to　the　pleasantest
road　and　easiest。　This　I　promise　you：　you　shall　taste　all　of　life's
sweets　and　escape　all　bitters。　In　the　first　place；　you　shall　not
trouble　your　brain　with　war　or　business；　other　topics　shall　engage
your　mind；＇32＇　your　only　speculation；　what　meat　or　drink　you　shall
find　agreeable　to　your　palate；　what　delight＇33＇　of　ear　or　eye；　what
pleasure　of　smell　or　touch；　what　darling　lover's　intercourse　shall
most　enrapture　you；　how　you　shall　pillow　your　limbs　in　softest
slumber；　how　cull　each　individual　pleasure　without　alloy　of　pain；　and
if　ever　the　suspicion　steal　upon　you　that　the　stream　of　joys　will　one
day　dwindle；　trust　me　I　will　not　lead　you　where　you　shall　replenish
the　store　by　toil　of　body　and　trouble　of　soul。　No！　others　shall
labour；　but　you　shall　reap　the　fruit　of　their　labours；　you　shall
withhold　your　hand　from　nought　which　shall　bring　you　gain。　For　to　all
my　followers　I　give　authority　and　power　to　help　themselves　freely　from
every　side。'

＇31＇　Or；　〃without　change　in　her　demeanour。〃

＇32＇　Reading　｛diese｝；　or　｛dioisei｝；　〃you　shall　continue　speculating
　　　　solely。〃

＇33＇　It　will　be　recollected　that　Prodicus　prided　himself　on　｛orthotes
　　　　onomaton｝。　Possibly　Xenophon　is　imitating　（caricaturing？）　his
　　　　style。　｛terphtheies；　estheies；　euphrantheies｝。

〃Heracles　hearing　these　words　made　answer：　'What；　O　lady；　is　the　name
you　bear？'　To　which　she：　'Know　that　my　friends　call　be　Happiness；　but
they　that　hate　me　have　their　own　nicknames＇34＇　for　me；　Vice　and
Naughtiness。'

＇34＇　So　the　vulg。　｛upokorizomenoi｝　is　interpreted。　Cobet　（〃Pros。　Xen。〃
　　　　p。　36）　suggests　｛upoknizomenoi｝　=　〃quippe　qui　desiderio
　　　　pungantur。〃

〃But　just　then　the　other　of　those　fair　women　approached　and　spoke：
'Heracles；　I　too　am　come　to　you；　seeing　that　your　parents　are　well
known　to　me；　and　in　your　nurture　I　have　gauged　your　nature；　wherefore
I　entertain　good　hope　that　if　you　choose　the　path　which　leads　to　me；
you　shall　greatly　bestir　yourself　to　be　the　doer　of　many　a　doughty
deed　of　noble　emprise；　and　that　I　too　shall　be　held　in　even　higher
honour　for　your　sake；　lit　with　the　lustre　shed　by　valorous　deeds。＇35＇
I　will　not　cheat　you　with　preludings　of　pleasure；＇36＇　but　I　will
relate　to　you　the　things　that　are　according　to　the　ordinances　of　God
in　very　truth。　Know　then　that　among　things　that　are　lovely　and　of　good
report；　not　one　have　the　gods　bestowed　upon　mortal　men　apart　from　toil
and　pains。　Would　you　obtain　the　favour　of　the　gods；　then　must　you　pay
these　same　gods　service；　would　you　be　loved　by　your　friends；　you　must
benefit　these　friends；　do　you　desire　to　be　honoured　by　the　state；　you
must　give　the　state　your　aid；　do　you　claim　admiration　for　your　virtue
from　all　Hellas；　you　must　strive　to　do　some　good　to　Hellas；　do　you
wish　earth　to　yield　her　fruits　to　you　abundantly；　to　earth　must　you
pay　your　court；　do　you　seek　to　amass　riches　from　your　flocks　and
herds；　on　them　must　you　bestow　your　labour；　or　is　it　your　ambition　to
be　potent　as　a　warrior；　able　to　save　your　friends　and　to　subdue　your
foes；　then　must　you　learn　the　arts　of　war　from　those　who　have　the
knowledge；　and　practise　their　application　in　the　field　when　learned；
or　would　you　e'en　be　powerful　of　limb　and　body；　then　must　you
habituate　limbs　and　body　to　obey　the　mind；　and　exercise　yourself　with
toil　and　sweat。'

＇35＇　Or；　〃bathed　in　the　splendour　of　thy　virtues。〃

＇36＇　Or；　〃honeyed　overtures　of　pleasure。〃

〃At　this　point；　（as　Prodicus　relates）　Vice　broke　in　exclaiming：　'See
you；　Heracles；　how　hard　and　long　the　road　is　by　which　yonder　woman
would　escort　you　to　her　festal　joys。＇37＇　But　I　will　guide　you　by　a
short　and　easy　road　to　happiness。'

＇37＇　Hesiod；　〃Theog。〃　909；　Milton；　〃L'Allegro；〃　12。

〃Then　spoke　Virtue：　'Nay；　wretched　one；　what　good　thing　hast　thou？　or
what　sweet　thing　art　thou　acquainted　withthat　wilt　stir　neither　hand
nor　foot　to　gain　it？　Thou；　that　mayest　not　even　await　the　desire　of
pleasure；　but；　or　ever　that　desire　springs　up；　art　already　satiated；
eating　before　thou　hungerest；　and　drinking　before　thou　thirsteth；　who
to　eke　out　an　appetite　must　invent　an　army　of　cooks　and　confectioners；
and　to　whet　thy　thirst　must　lay　down　costliest　wines；　and　run　up　and
down　in　search　of　ice　in　summer…time；　to　help　thy　slumbers　soft
coverlets　suffice　not；　but　couches　and　feather…beds　must　be　prepared
thee　and　rockers　to　rock　thee　to　rest；　since　desire　for　sleep　in　thy
case　springs　not　from　toil　but　from　vacuity　and　nothing　in　the　world
to　do。　Even　the　natural　appetite　of　love　thou　forcest　prematurely　by
every　means　thou　mayest　devise；　confounding　the　sexes　in　thy　service。
Thus　thou　educatest　thy　friends：　with　insult　in　the　night　season　and
drowse　of　slumber　during　the　precious　hours　of　the　day。　Immortal；　thou
art　cast　forth　from　the　company　of　gods；　and　by　good　men　art
dishonoured：　that　sweetest　sound　of　all；　the　voice　of　praise；　has
never　thrilled　thine　ears；　and　the　fairest　of　all　fair　visions　is
hidden　from　thine　eyes　that　have　never　beheld　one　bounteous　deed
wrought　by　thine　own　hand。　If　thou　openest　thy　lips　in　speech；　who
will　believe　thy　word？　If　thou　hast　need　of　aught；　none　shall　satisfy
thee。　What　sane　man　will　venture　to　join　thy　rablle　rout？　Ill　indeed
are　thy　revellers　to　look　upon；　young　men　impotent　of　body；　and　old
men　witless　in　mind：　in　the　heyday　of　life　they　batten　in　sleek
idleness；　and　wearily　do　they　drag　through　an　age　of　wrinkled
wretchedness：　and　why？　they　blush　with　shame　at　the　thought　of　deeds
done　in　the　past；　and　groan　for　weariness　at　what　is　left　to　do。
During　their　youth　they　ran　riot　through　their　sweet　things；　and　laid
up　for　themselves　large　store　of　bitterness　against　the　time　of　eld。
But　my　companionship　is　with　the　gods；　and　with　the　good　among　men　my
conv