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第24章

the memorabilia-第24章

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body or strength of limb; but in ambition and that love of honour'14'
which most of all gives a keen edge to the spirit in the pursuit of
things lovely and of high esteem。

'14' See below; v。 3; Dem。 〃de Cor。〃 28 foll。

Hipp。 That; too; is a true saying。

Soc。 Do you not think; then; that if a man devoted himself to our
cavalry also; here in Athens; we should far outstrip the rest of the
world; whether in the furnishing of arms and horses; or in orderliness
of battle…array; or in eager hazardous encounter with the foe; if only
we could persuade ourselves that by so doing we should obtain honour
and distinction?

Hipp。 It is reasonable to think so。

Soc。 Have no hesitation; therefore; but try to guide your men into
this path;'15' whence you yourself; and through you your fellow…
citizens; will reap advantage。

'15' Or; 〃to conduct which will not certainly fail of profit to
    yourself or through you to 。 。 。〃

Yes; in good sooth; I will try (he answered)。


IV

At another time; seeing Nicomachides on his way back from the
elections (of magistrates);'1' he asked him: Who are elected generals;
Nicomachides?

'1' Cf。 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 i。 3; Aristot。 〃Ath。 Pol。〃 44。 4; and Dr。 Sandys'
    note ad loc。 p。 165 of his edition。

And he: Is it not just like them; these citizens of Athensjust like
them; I sayto go and elect; not me; who ever since my name first
apepared on the muster…roll have literally worn myself out with
military servicenow as a captain; now as a coloneland have
received all these wounds from the enemy; look you! (at the same time;
and suiting the action to the word; he bared his arms and proceeded to
show the scars of ancient wounds)they elect not me (he went on);
but; if you please; Antisthenes! who never served as a hoplite'2' in
his life nor in the cavalry ever made a brilliant stroke; that I ever
heard tell of; no! in fact; he has got no science at all; I take it;
except to amass stores of wealth。

'2' Cf。 Lys。 xiv。 10。

But still (returned Socrates); surely that is one point in his favour
he ought to be able to provide the troops with supplies。

Nic。 Well; for the matter of that; merchants are good hands at
collecting stores; but it does not follow that a merchant or trader
will be able to command an army。

But (rejoined Socrates) Antisthenes is a man of great pertinacity; who
insists on winning; and that is a very necessary quality in a
general。'3' Do not you see how each time he has been choragos'4' he
has been successful with one chorus after another?

'3' See Grote; 〃Plato;〃 i。 465 foll。

'4' Choir…master; or Director of the Chorus。 It was his duty to
    provide and preside over a chorus to sing; dance; or play at any
    of the public festivals; defraying the cost as a state service of
    {leitourgia}。 See 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 iii。 4; 〃Hiero;〃 ix。 4; Aristot。
    〃Pol。 Ath。〃 28。 3。

Nic。 Bless me! yes; but there is a wide difference between standing at
the head of a band of singers and dancers and a troop of soldiers。

Soc。 Still; without any practical skill in singing or in the training
of a chorus; Antisthenes somehow had the art to select the greatest
proficients in both。

Nic。 Yes; and by the same reasoning we are to infer that on a campaign
he will find proficients; some to marshal the troops for him and
others to fight his battles?

Soc。 Just so。 If in matters military he only exhibits the same skill
in selecting the best hands as he has shown in matters of the chorus;
it is highly probable he will here also bear away the palm of victory;
and we may presume that if he expended so much to win a choric victory
with a single tribe;'5' he will be ready to expend more to secure a
victory in war with the whole state to back him。

'5' See Dem。 〃against Lept。〃 496。 26。 Each tribe nominated such of its
    members as were qualified to undertake the burden。

Nic。 Do you really mean; Socrates; that it is the function of the same
man to provide efficient choruses and to act as commander…in…chief?

Soc。 I mean this; that; given a man knows what he needs to provide;
and has the skill to do so; no matter what the deparment of things may
behouse or city or armyyou will find him a good chief and
director'6' of the same。

'6' Or; 〃representative。〃

Then Nicomachides: Upon my word; Socrates; I should never have
expected to hear you say that a good housekeeper'7' and steward of an
estate would make a good general。

'7' Or; 〃economist〃; cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 vi。 12。

Soc。 Come then; suppose we examine their respective duties; and so
determine'8' whether they are the same or different。

'8' Lit。 〃get to know。〃

Nic。 Let us do so。

Soc。 Well then; is it not a common duty of both to procure the ready
obedience of those under them to their orders?

Nic。 Certainly。

Soc。 And also to assign to those best qualified to perform them their
distinctive tasks?

That; too; belongs to both alike (he answered)。

Soc。 Again; to chastise the bad and reward the good belongs to both
alike; methinks?

Nic。 Decidedly。

Soc。 And to win the kindly feeling of their subordinates must surely
be the noble ambition of both?

That too (he answered)。

Soc。 And do you consider it to the interest of both alike to win the
adherence of supporters and allies?'9'

'9' In reference to the necessity of building up a family connection
    or political alliances cf。 Arist。 〃Pol。〃 iii。 9; 13。

Nic。 Without a doubt。

Soc。 And does it not closely concern them both to be good guardians of
their respective charges?

Nic。 Very much so。

Soc。 Then it equally concerns them both to be painstaking and prodigal
of toil in all their doings?

Nic。 Yes; all these duties belong to both alike; but the parallel ends
when you come to actual fighting。

Soc。 Yet they are both sure to meet with enemies?

Nic。 There is no doubt about that。

Soc。 Then is it not to the interest of both to get the upper hand of
these?

Nic。 Certainly; but you omit to tell us what service organisation and
the art of management will render when it comes to actual fighting。

Soc。 Why; it is just then; I presume; it will be of most service; for
the good economist knows that nothing is so advantageous or so
lucrative as victory in battle; or to put it negatively; nothing so
disastrous and expensive as defeat。 He will enthusiastically seek out
and provide everything conducive to victory; he will painstakingly
discover and guard against all that tends to defeat; and when
satisifed that all is ready and ripe for victory he will deliver
battle energetically; and what is equally important; until the hour of
final preparation has arrived;'10' he will be cautious to deliver
battle。 Do not despise men of economic genius; Nicomachides; the
difference between the devotion requisite to private affairs and to
affairs of state is merely one of quantity。 For the rest the parallel
holds strictly; and in this respect pre…eminently; that both are
concerned with human instruments: which human beings; moreover; are of
one type and temperament; whether we speak of devotion to public
affairs or of the administration of private property。 To fare well in
either case is given to those who know the secret of dealing with
humanity; whereas the absence of that knowledge will as certainly
imply in either case a fatal note of discord。'11'

'10' Lit。 〃as long as he is unprepared。〃

'11' L。 Dindorf; 〃Index Graec。〃 Ox。 ed。; cf。 Hor。 〃Ep。〃 II。 ii。 144;
    〃sed verae numerosque modosque ediscere vitae;〃 〃the harmony of
    life;〃 Conington。


V

A conversation held with Pericles the son of the great statesman may
here be introduced。'1' Socrates began:

'1' Or; 〃On one occasion Pericles was the person addressed in
    conversation。〃 For Pericles see 〃Hell。〃 I。 v。 16; vii。 15; Plut。
    〃Pericl。〃 37 (Clough; i。 368)。

I am looking forward; I must tell you; Pericles; to a great
improvement in our military affairs when you are minister of war。'2'
The prestige of Athens; I hope; will rise; we shall gain the mastery
over our enemies。

'2' 〃Strategos。〃

Pericles replied: I devoutly wish your words might be fulfilled; but
how this happy result is to be obtained; I am at

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