the memorabilia-第21章
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me nothing in Attica； I must needs bide at home； and provide myself
with the necessaries of life by means of bodily toil； which seems
preferable to begging from another； especially as I have no security
on which to raise a loan。
＇1＇ Lit。 〃from here。〃 The conversation perhaps takes place in Piraeus
404 B。C。
＇2＇ Or； 〃colonial possession。〃 Cf。 〃Symp。〃 iv。 31。
Soc。 And how long do you expect your body to be equal to providing the
necessaries of life for hire？
Euth。 Goodness knows； Socratesnot for long。
Soc。 And when you find yourself an old man； expenses will not
diminish； and yet no one will care to pay you for the labour of your
hands。
Euth。 That is true。
Soc。 Would it not be better then to apply yourself at once to such
work as will stand you in good stead when you are oldthat is；
address yourself to some large proprietor who needs an assistant in
managing his estate？＇3＇ By superintending his works； helping to get in
his crops； and guarding his property in general； you will be a benefit
to the estate and be benefited in return。
＇3＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。 iii。 48。
I could not endure the yoke of slavery； Socrates！ （he exclaimed）。
Soc。 And yet the heads of departments in a state are not regarded as
adopting the badge of slavery because they manage the public property；
but as having attained a higher degree of freedom rather。
Euth。 In a word； Socrates； the idea of being held to account to
another is not at all to my taste。
Soc。 And yet； Eutherus； it would be hard to find a work which did not
involve some liability to account； in fact it is difficult to do
anything without some mistake or other； and no less difficult； if you
should succeed in doing it immaculately； to escape all unfriendly
criticism。 I wonder now whether you find it easy to get through your
present occupations entirely without reproach。 No？ Let me tell you
what you should do。 You should avoid censorious persons and attach
yourself to the considerate and kind…hearted； and in all your affairs
accept with a good grace what you can and decline what you feel you
cannot do。 Whatever it be； do it heart and soul； and make it your
finest work。＇4＇ There lies the method at once to silence fault…finders
and to minister help to your own difficulties。 Life will flow
smoothly； risks will be diminished； provision against old age secured。
＇4＇ Or； 〃study to make it your finest work； the expression of a real
enthusiasm。〃
IX
At another time； as I am aware； he had heard a remark made by Crito＇1＇
that life at Athens was no easy matter for a man who wished to mind
his own affairs。
＇1＇ Crito。 See above； I。 ii。 48； Cobet； 〃P。 X。〃； cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃
viii。 549 C。
As； for instance； at this moment （Crito proceeded） there are a set of
fellows threatening me with lawsuits； not because they have any
misdemeanour to allege against me； but simply under the conviction
that I will sooner pay a sum of money than be troubled further。
To which Socrates replied： Tell me； Crito； you keep dogs； do you not；
to ward off wolves from your flocks？
Cr。 Certainly； it pays to do so。
Soc。 Then why do you not keep a watchman willing and competent to ward
off this pack of people who seek to injure you？
I should not at all mind （he answered）； if I were not afraid he might
turn again and rend his keeper。
What！ （rejoined Socrates）； do you not see that to gratify a man like
yourself is far pleasanter as a matter of self…interest than to
quarrel with you？ You may be sure there are plenty of people here who
will take the greatest pride in making you their friend。
Accordingly； they sought out Archedemus；＇2＇ a practical man with a
clever tongue in his head＇3＇ but poor； the fact being； he was not the
sort to make gain by hook or by crook； but a lover of honesty and of
too good a nature himself to make his living as a pettifogger。＇4＇
Crito would then take the opportunity of times of harvesting and put
aside small presents for Achedemus of corn and oil； or wine； or wool；
or any other of the farm produce forming the staple commodities of
life； or he would invite him to a sacrificial feast； and otherwise pay
him marked attention。 Archedemus； feeling that he had in Crito's house
a harbour of refuge； could not make too much of his patron； and ere
long he had hunted up a long list of iniquities which could be lodged
against Crito's pettifogging persecutors themselves； and not only
their numerous crimes but their numerous enemies； and presently he
prosecuted one of them in a public suit； where sentence would be given
against him 〃what to suffer or what to pay。〃＇5＇ The accused； conscious
as he was of many rascally deeds； did all he could to be quit of
Archedemus； but Archedemus was not to be got rid of。 He held on until
he had made the informer not only loose his hold of Crito but pay
himself a sum of money； and now that Archedemus had achieved this and
other similar victories； it is easy to guess what followed。＇6＇ It was
just as when some shepherd has got a very good dog； all the other
shepherds wish to lodge their flocks in his neighbourhood that they
too may reap the benefit of him。 So a number of Crito's friends came
begging him to allow Archedemus to be their guardian also； and
Archedemus was overjoyed to do something to gratify Crito； and so it
came about that not only Crito abode in peace； but his friends
likewise。 If any of those people with whom Archedemus was not on the
best of terms were disposed to throw it in his teeth that he accepted
his patron's benefits and paid in flatteries； he had a ready retort：
〃Answer me this questionwhich is the more scandalous； to accept
kindnesses from honest folk and to repay them； with the result that I
make such people my friends but quarrel with knaves； or to make
enemies of honourable gentlemen＇7＇ by attempts to do them wrong； with
the off…chance indeed of winning the friendship of some scamps in
return for my co…operation； but the certainty of losing in the tone of
my acquaintances？〃＇8＇
＇2＇ Archedemus； possibly the demagogue； 〃Hell。〃 I。 vii。 2。 So Cobet；
〃P。 X。；〃 but see Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 245。
＇3＇ Lit。 〃very capable of speech and action〃the writer's favourite
formula for the well…trained Athenian who can speak fluently and
reason clearly； and act energetically and opportunely。
＇4＇ Reading ｛kai euphuesteros on｝ ＇or ｛e os｝＇ 。 。 。 ｛apo sukophanton｝
＇or ｛sukophantion｝＇； after Cobet； 〃P。 X。〃 s。v。 Archedemus。 The
MSS。 give ｛kai ephe raston einai｝〃nothing is easier；〃 he said；
〃than recovering from sycophants。〃
＇5＇ For this formula cf。 〃Econ。〃 vi。 24。 Cf。 Plat。 〃Statesm。〃 299 A。
＇6＇ ｛ede tote｝。 Cf。 Plat。 〃Laws；〃 vi。 778 C。
＇7＇ Lit。 the ｛kaloi kagathoi｝； which like ｛khrestous｝ and ｛ponerous｝
has a political as well as an ethical meaning。
＇8＇ Lit。 〃must associate with these （the ｛ponerois｝） instead of those
（the ｛kalois te kagathois｝）。
The net result of the whole proceedings was that Archedemus was now
Crito's right hand；＇9＇ and by the rest of Crito's friends he was held
in honour。
＇9＇ He was No。 1｛eis｝。
X
Again I may cite； as known to myself；＇1＇ the following discussion； the
arguments were addressed to Diodorus； one of his companions。 The
master said：
＇1＇ Or； 〃for which I can personally vouch。〃
Tell me； Diodorus； if one of your slaves runs away； are you at pains
to recover him？
More than that （Diodorus answered）； I summon others to my aid and I
have a reward cried for his recovery。
Soc。 Well； if one of your domestics is sick； do you tend him and call
in the doctors to save his life？
Diod。 Decidedly I do。
Soc。 And if an intimate acquaintance who is far more precious to you
than any of your household slaves is about to perish of want； you
would think it incumbent on you to take pains to save his life？ Well！
now you know without my telling you that Hermogenes＇2＇ is not made of
wood or stone。 If you helped him he would be ashamed not to pay you in
kind。 And yetthe opportunity of possessing a willing； kindly； and
trusty assistant well fitted to do your bidding； and not merely that；
but capable of originating useful ideas himself； with a certain
forec
