the memorabilia-第34章
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habit；＇9＇ and surely to this end there is nothing a man in his senses
would not undergo。 。 。 。 It is a base thing for a man to wax old in
careless self…neglect before he has lifted up his eyes and seen what
manner of man he was made to be； in the full perfection of bodily
strength and beauty。 But these glories are withheld from him who is
guilty of self…neglect； for they are not wont to blaze forth
unbidden。＇10＇
＇7＇ Cf。 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 i。 13； and above； III。 v。 15。
＇8＇ Or； 〃whole branches of knowledge〃 （｛tas epistemas｝）。
＇9＇ Or； 〃he may well hope to be insured by his good habit against the
evils attendant on its opposite。〃
＇10＇ Or； 〃to present themselves spontaneously。〃
XII
Once when some one was in a fury of indignation because he had bidden
a passer…by good…day and the salutation was not returned； Socrates
said： 〃It is enough to make one laugh！ If you met a man in a wretched
condition of body； you would not fall into a rage； but because you
stumble upon a poor soul somewhat boorishly disposed； you feel
annoyed。〃
To the remark of another who complained that he did not take his foot
with pleasure； he said： 〃Acumenus＇1＇ has a good prescription for
that。〃 And when the other asked： 〃And what may that be？〃 〃To stop
eating；〃 he said。 〃On the score of pleasure； economy； and health；
total abstinence has much in its favour。〃＇2＇
＇1＇ A well…known physician。 See Plat。 〃Phaedr。〃 227 A； 269 A； 〃Symp。〃
176 B。 A similar story is told of Dr。 Abernethy； I think。
＇2＇ Lit。 〃he would live a happier； thriftier； and healthier life； if
he stopped eating。〃
And when some one else lamented that 〃the drinking…water in his house
was hot；〃 he replied： 〃Then when you want a warm bath you will not
have to wait。〃
The Other。 But for bathing purposes it is cold。
Soc。 Do you find that your domestics seem to mind drinking it or
washing in it？
The Other。 Quite the reverse； it is a constant marvel to me how
contentedly they use it for either purpose。
Soc。 Which is hotter to the tastethe water in your house or the hot
spring in the temple of Asclepius？＇3＇
＇3＇ In the Hieron at Epidauros probably。 See Baedeker； 〃Greece；〃 p。
240 foll。
The Other。 The water in the temple of Asclepius。
Soc。 And which is colder for bathingyours or the cold spring in the
cave of Amphiaraus？＇4＇
＇4＇ Possibly at Oropos。 Cf。 Paus。 i。 34。 3。
The Other。 The water in the cave of Amphiaraus。
Soc。 Then please to observe： if you do not take care； they will set
you down as harder to please than a domestic servant or an invalid。＇5＇
＇5＇ i。e。 〃the least and the most fastidious of men。〃
A man had administered a severe whipping to the slave in attendance on
him； and when Socrates asked： 〃Why he was so wroth with his own
serving…man？〃 excused himself on the ground that 〃the fellow was a
lazy； gourmandising； good…for…nothing doltfonder of money than of
work。〃 To which Socrates： 〃Did it ever strike you to consider which of
the two in that case the more deserves a whippingthe master or the
man？〃
When some one was apprehending the journey to Olympia； 〃Why are you
afraid of the long distance？〃 he asked。 〃Here at home you spend nearly
all your day in taking walks。＇6＇ Well； on your road to Olympia you
will take a walk and breakfast； and then you will take another walk
and dine； and go to bed。 Do you not see； if you take and tack together
five or six days' length of walks； and stretch them out in one long
line； it will soon reach from Athens to Olympia？ I would recommend
you； however； to set off a day too soon rather than a day too late。 To
be forced to lengthen the day's journey beyond a reasonable amount may
well be a nuisance； but to take one day's journey beyond what is
necessary is pure relaxation。 Make haste to start； I say； and not
while on the road。〃＇7＇
＇6＇ ｛peripateis｝； 〃promenading up and down。〃
＇7＇ 〃Festina lente〃that is your motto。
When some one else remarked 〃he was utterly prostrated after a long
journey；〃 Socrates asked him： 〃Had he had any baggage to carry？〃
〃Not I；〃 replied the complainer； 〃only my cloak。〃
Soc。 Were you travelling alone； or was your man…servant with you？
He。 Yes； I had my man。
Soc。 Empty…handed； or had he something to carry？
He。 Of course； carrying my rugs and other baggage。
Soc。 And how did he come off on the journey？
He。 Better than I did myself； I take it。
Soc。 Well； but now suppose you had had to carry his baggage； what
would your condition have been like？
He。 Sorry enough； I can tell you； or rather； I could not have carried
it at all。
Soc。 What a confession！ Fancy being capable of so much less toil than
a poor slave boy！ Does that sound like the perfection of athletic
training？
XIV
On the occasion of a common dinner…party＇1＇ where some of the company
would present themselves with a small； and others with a large supply
of viands； Socrates would bid the servants＇2＇ throw the small supplies
into the general stock； or else to help each of the party to a share
all round。 Thus the grand victuallers were ashamed in the one case not
to share in the common stock； and in the other not to throw in their
supplies also。＇3＇ Accordingly in went the grand supplies into the
common stock。 And now； being no better off than the small
contributors； they soon ceased to cater for expensive delicacies。
＇1＇ For the type of entertainment see Becker； 〃Charicles；〃 p。 315
（Eng。 tr。）
＇2＇ 〃The boy。〃
＇3＇ Or； 〃were ashamed not to follow suit by sharing in the common
stock and contributing their own portion。〃
At a supper…party one member of the company； as Socrates chanced to
note； had put aside the plain fare and was devoting himself to certain
dainties。＇4＇ A discussion was going on about names and definitions；
and the proper applications of terms to things。＇5＇ Whereupon Socrates；
appealing to the company： 〃Can we explain why we call a man a 'dainty
fellow'？ What is the particular action to which the term applies？＇6＇
since every one adds some dainty to his food when he can get it。＇7＇
But we have not quite hit the definition yet； I think。 Are we to be
called dainty eaters because we like our bread buttered？〃＇8＇
＇4＇ For the distinction between ｛sitos｝ and ｛opson｝ see Plat。 〃Rep。〃
372 C。
＇5＇ Or； 〃The conversation had fallen upon names： what is the precise
thing denoted under such and such a term？ Define the meaning of so
and so。〃
＇6＇ ｛opsophagos｝ = ｛opson｝ （or relish） eater； and so a 〃gourmand〃 or
〃epicure〃； but how to define a gourmand？
＇7＇ Lit。 〃takes some ｛opson｝ （relish） to his ｛sitos｝ （food）。〃
＇8＇ Lit。 〃simply for that〃 （sc。 the taking of some sort of ｛opson｝。
For ｛epi touto｝ cf。 Plat。 〃Soph。〃 218 C； 〃Parmen。〃 147 D。
No！ hardly！ （some member of the company replied）。
Soc。 Well； but now suppose a man confine himself to eating venison or
other dainty without any plain food at all； not as a matter of
training；＇9＇ but for the pleasure of it： has such a man earned the
title？ 〃The rest of the world would have a poor chance against
him；〃＇10＇ some one answered。 〃Or；〃 interposed another； 〃what if the
dainty dishes he devours are out of all proportion to the rest of his
mealwhat of him？〃＇11＇
＇9＇ Lit。 〃｛opson｝ （relish） by itself； not for the sake of training；〃
etc。 The English reader wil bear in mind that a raw beefsteak or
other meat prescribed by the gymnastic trainer in preference to
farinaceous food （｛sitos｝） would be ｛opson｝。
＇10＇ Or； more lit。 〃Hardly any one could deserve the appellation
better。〃
＇11＇ Lit。 〃and what of the man who eats much ｛opson｝ on the top of a
little （｛sitos｝）？〃 ｛epesthion｝ = follows up one course by another；
like the man in a fragment of Euripides； 〃Incert。〃 98： ｛kreasi
boeiois khlora suk' epesthien｝； who 〃followed up his beefsteak
with a garnish of green figs。〃
Soc。 He has established a very fair title at any rate to the
appellation； and when the rest of the world pray to heaven for a fine
harvest： 〃May our corn and oil increase！〃 he may reasonably ejaculate；
〃May my fleshpots multiply！〃
At this last sally the young man； feeling that the conversation set
somewhat in his dire
