the memorabilia-第26章
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＇20＇ Sc。 the Lacedaemonians。 See W。 L。 Newman； op。 cit。 i。 396。
You would seem to suggest （he answered） that the spirit of beautiful
and brave manhood has taken wings and left our city；＇21＇ as； for
instance； when will Athenians； like the Lacedaemonians； reverence old
agethe Athenian； who takes his own father as a starting…point for
the contempt he pours upon grey hairs？ When will he pay as strict an
attention to the body； who is not content with neglecting a good
habit；＇22＇ but laughs to scorn those who are careful in this matter？
When shall we Athenians so obey our magistrateswe who take a pride；
as it were； in despising authority？ When； once more； shall we be
united as a peoplewe who； instead of combining to promote common
interests； delight in blackening each other's characters；＇23＇ envying
one another more than we envy all the world besides； andwhich is our
worst failingwho； in private and public intercourse alike； are torn
by dissension and are caught in a maze of litigation； and prefer to
make capital out of our neighbour's difficulties rather than to render
natural assistance？ To make our conduct consistent； indeed； we treat
our national interests no better than if they were the concerns of
some foreign state； we make them bones of contention to wrangle over；
and rejoice in nothing so much as in possessing means and ability to
indulge these tastes。 From this hotbed is engendered in the state a
spirit of blind folly＇24＇ and cowardice； and in the hearts of the
citizens spreads a tangle of hatred and mutual hostility which； as I
often shudder to think； will some day cause some disaster to befall
the state greater than it can bear。＇25＇
＇21＇ Or； 〃is far enough away from Athens。〃
＇22＇ See below； III。 xii。 5； 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 i。 13； 〃Rev。〃 iv。 52。
＇23＇ Or； 〃to deal despitefully with one another。
＇24＇ Reading ｛ateria｝。 See L。 Dindorf ad loc。； Ox。 ed。 lxii。 Al。
｛apeiria｝； a want of skill； or ｛ataxia｝； disorderliness。 Cf。 〃Pol。
Ath。〃 i。 5。
＇25＇ Possibly the author is thinking of the events of 406； 405 B。C。
（see 〃Hell。〃 I。 vii。 and II。）； and history may repeat itself。
Do not （replied Socrates）； do not； I pray you； permit yourself to
believe that Athenians are smitten with so incurable a depravity。 Do
you not observe their discipline in all naval matters？ Look at their
prompt and orderly obedience to the superintendents at the gymnastic
contests；＇26＇ their quite unrivalled subservience to their teachers in
the training of our choruses。
＇26＇ Epistatoi； i。e。 stewards and training…masters。
Yes （he answered）； there's the wonder of it； to think that all those
good people should so obey their leaders； but that our hoplites and
our cavalry； who may be supposed to rank before the rest of the
citizens in excellence of manhood；＇27＇ should be so entirely
unamenable to discipline。
＇27＇ ｛kalokagathia｝。
Then Socrates： Well； but the council which sits on Areopagos is
composed of citizens of approved＇28＇ character； is it not？
＇28＇ Technically； they must have passed the ｛dokimasia｝。 And for the
〃Aeropagos〃 see Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 v。 498； Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 ii。 12；
〃Ath。 Pol。〃 4。 4； where see Dr。 Sandys' note； p。 18。
Certainly （he answered）。
Soc。 Then can you name any similar body； judicial or executive； trying
cases or transacting other business with greater honour； stricter
legality； higher dignity； or more impartial justice？
No； I have no fault to find on that score （he answered）。
Soc。 Then we ought not to despair as though all sense of orderliness
and good discipline had died out of our countrymen。
Still （he answered）； if it is not to harp upon one string； I maintain
that in military service； where； if anywhere； sobreity and temperance；
orderliness and good discipline are needed； none of these essentials
receives any attention。
May it not perhaps be （asked Socrates） that in this department they
are officered by those who have the least knowledge？＇29＇ Do you not
notice； to take the case of harp…players； choric performers； dancers；
and the like； that no one would ever dream of leading if he lacked the
requisite knowledge？ and the same holds of wrestlers or pancratiasts。
＇29＇ ｛episteme｝。 See below； III。 ix。 10。
Moreover； while in these cases any one in command can tell you where
he got the elementary knowledge of what he presides over； most
generals are amateurs and improvisers。＇30＇ I do not at all suppose
that you are one of that sort。 I believe you could give as clear an
account of your schooling in strategy as you could in the matter of
wrestling。 No doubt you have got at first hand many of your father's
〃rules for generalship；〃 which you carefully preserve； besides having
collected many others from every quarter whence it was possible to
pick up any knowledge which would be of use to a future general。
Again； I feel sure you are deeply concerned to escape even unconscious
ignorance of anything which will be serviceable to you in so high an
office； and if you detect in yourself any ignorance； you turn to those
who have knowledge in these matters （sparing neither gifts nor
gratitude） to supplement your ignorance by their knowledge and to
secure their help。
＇30＇ Cf。 〃Pol。 Lac。〃 xiii。 5。
To which Pericles： I am not so blind； Socrates； as to imagine you say
these words under the idea that I am truly so careful in these
matters； but rather your object is to teach me that the would…be
general must make such things his care。 I admit in any case all you
say。
Socrates proceeded： Has it ever caught your observation； Pericles；
that a high mountain barrier stretches like a bulwark in front of our
country down towards Boeotiacleft； moreover； by narrow and
precipitous passes； the only avenues into the heart of Attica； which
lies engirdled by a ring of natural fortresses？＇31＇
＇31＇ The mountains are Cithaeron and Parnes N。； and Cerata N。W。
Per。 Certainly I have。
Soc。 Well； and have you ever heard tell of the Mysians and Pisidians
living within the territory of the great king；＇32＇ who； inside their
mountain fortresses； lightly armed； are able to rush down and inflict
much injury on the king's territory by their raids； while preserving
their own freedom？
＇32＇ For this illustration see 〃Anab。〃 III。 ii。 23； cf。 〃Econ。〃 iv。
18； where Socrates （｛XS｝） refers to Cyrus's expedition and death。
Per。 Yes； the circumstance is not new to me。
And do you not think （added Socrates） that a corps of young able…
bodied Athenians； accoutred with lighter arms；＇33＇ and holding our
natural mountain rampart in possession； would prove at once a thorn in
the enemy's side offensively； whilst defensively they would form a
splendid bulwark to protect the country？
＇33＇ Cf。 the reforms of Iphicrates。
To which Pericles： I think； Socrates； these would be all useful
measures； decidedly。
If； then （replied Socrates）； these suggestions meet your approbation；
try； O best of men； to realise themif you can carry out a portion of
them； it will be an honour to yourself and a blessing to the state；
while； if you fail in any point； there will be no damage done to the
city nor discredit to yourself。
VI
Glaucon；＇1＇ the son of Ariston； had conceived such an ardour to gain
the headship of the state that nothing could hinder him but he must
deliver a course of public speeches；＇2＇ though he had not yet reached
the age of twenty。 His friends and relatives tried in vain to stop him
making himself ridiculous and being dragged down from the bema。＇3＇
Socrates； who took a kindly interest in the youth for the sake of
Charmides＇4＇ the son of Glaucon； and of Plato； alone succeeded in
restraining him。 It happened thus。 He fell in with him； and first of
all； to get him to listen； detained him by some such remarks as the
following：＇5＇
＇1＇ Glaucon； Plato's brother。 Grote； 〃Plato；〃 i。 508。
＇2＇ 〃Harangue the People。〃
＇3＇ See Plat。 〃Protag。〃 319 C： 〃And if some person offers to give them
advice who is not supposed by them to have any skill in the art
＇sc。 of politics＇； even though he be good…looking； and rich； and
noble； they will not listen to him； but laugh at him； and hoot
him； until he is either c
