the memorabilia-第43章
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themselves to the same pleasures； but simply that they shall pay
obedience to the laws； since in the end that state will prove most
powerful and most prosperous in which the citizens abide by these； but
without concord neither can a state be well administered nor a
household well organised。
＇24＇ Cf。 〃Pol。 Lac。〃 viii。 See Newman； op。 cit。 i。 396。
＇25＇ Lit。 〃the Gerousiai。〃 ｛S｝ or ｛X S｝ uses the Spartan phraseology。
＇26＇ Lit。 〃the best men。〃 ｛S｝ or ｛X S｝ speaks as an 〃aristocrat。〃
＇27＇ Cf。 〃Hell。〃 II。 iv。 43； Lys。 xxv。 21 foll。； Schneid。 cf。 Lycurg。
〃u Leocr。〃 189。
And if we turn to private life； what better protection can a man have
than obedience to the laws？ This shall be his safeguard against
penalties； his guarantee of honours at the hands of the community； it
shall be a clue to thread his way through the mazes of the law courts
unbewildered； secure against defeat； assured of victory。＇28＇ It is to
him； the law…loving citizen； that men will turn in confidence when
seeking a guardian of the most sacred deposits； be it of money or be
it their sons or daughters。 He； in the eyes of the state collectively；
is trustworthyhe and no other； who alone may be depended on to
render to all alike their duesto parents and kinsmen and servants；
to friends and fellow…citizens and foreigners。 This is he whom the
enemy will soonest trust to arrange an armistice； or a truce； or a
treaty of peace。 They would like to become the allies of this man； and
to fight on his side。 This is he to whom the allies＇29＇ of his country
will most confidently entrust the command of their forces； or of a
garrison； or their states themselves。 This； again； is he who may be
counted on to recompense kindness with gratitude； and who； therefore；
is more sure of kindly treatment than another whose sense of gratitude
is fuller。＇30＇ The most desirable among friends； the enemy of all
others to be avoided； clearly he is not the person whom a foreign
state would choose to go to war with； encompassed by a host of friends
and exempt from foes； his very character has a charm to compel
friendship and alliance； and before him hatred and hostility melt
away。
＇28＇ Or； 〃ignorant of hostile； assured of favourable verdict。〃
＇29＇ Lit。 〃the Allies；〃 e。g。 of Sparta or of Athens； etc。
＇30＇ Lit。 〃From whom may the doer of a deed of kindness more
confidently expect the recompense of gratitude than from your
lover of the law？ and whom would one select as the recipient of
kindness rather than a man susceptible of gratitude？〃
And now； Hippias； I have done my part； that is my proof and
demonstration that the 〃lawful〃 and 〃law…observant〃 are synonymous
with the 〃upright〃 and the 〃just〃； do you； if you hold a contrary
view； instruct us。＇31＇
＇31＇ For the style of this enconium （of the ｛nomimos｝） cf。 〃Ages。〃 i。
36； and for the 〃Socratic〃 reverence for law cf。 Plat。 〃Crito。〃
Then Hippias： Nay； upon my soul； Socrates； I am not aware of holding
any contrary opinion to what you have uttered on the theme of
justice。＇32＇
＇32＇ Lit。 〃the just and upright；〃 ｛tou dikaiou｝。
Soc。 But now； are you aware； Hippias； of certain unwritten laws？＇33＇
＇33＇ See Soph。 〃Antig。〃 〃Oed。 T。〃 865； and Prof。 Jebb ad loc。； Dem。
〃de Cor。〃 317； 23； Aristot。 〃Rhet。〃 I。 xiii。
Yes （he answered）； those held in every part of the world； and in the
same sense。
Can you then assert （asked Socrates） of these unwritten laws that men
made them？
Nay； how （he answered） should that be； for how could they all have
come together from the ends of the earth？ and even if they had so
done； men are not all of one speech？＇34＇
＇34＇ Or； 〃there would be difficulty of understanding each other； and a
babel of tongues。〃
Soc。 Whom then do you believe to have been the makers of these laws。
Hipp。 For my part； I think that the gods must have made these laws for
men； and I take it as proof that first and foremost it is a law and
custom everywhere to worship and reverence the gods。
Soc。 And； I presume； to honour parents is also customary everywhere？
Yes； that too （he answered）。
Soc。 And； I presume； also the prohibition of intermarriage between
parents and children？
Hipp。 No； at that point I stop； Socrates。 That does not seem to me to
be a law of God。
Now； why？ （he asked）。
Because I perceive it is not infrequently transgressed （he
answered）。＇35＇
＇35＇ Or； 〃as I perceive； it is not of universal application； some
transgress it。〃
Soc。 Well； but there are a good many other things which people do
contrary to law； only the penalty； I take it； affixed to the
transgression of the divine code is certain； there is no escape for
the offender after the manner in which a man may transgress the laws
of man with impunity； slipping through the fingers of justice by
stealth； or avoiding it by violence。
Hipp。 And what is the inevitable penalty paid by those who； being
related as parents and children； intermingle in marriage？
Soc。 The greatest of all penalties； for what worse calamity can human
beings suffer in the production of offspring than to misbeget？＇36＇
＇36＇ Or； 〃in the propagation of the species than to produce
misbegotten children。〃
Hipp。 But how or why should they breed them ill where nothing hinders
them； being of a good stock themselves and producing from stock as
good？
Soc。 Because； forsooth； in order to produce good children； it is not
simply necessary that the parents should be good and of a good stock；
but that both should be equally in the prime and vigour of their
bodies。＇37＇ Do you suppose that the seed of those who are at their
prime is like theirs who either have not yet reached their prime； or
whose prime has passed？
＇37＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Laws；〃 viii。 839 A； Herbst； etc。； cf。 Grotius； 〃de
Jure；〃 ii。 5； xii。 4。
Hipp。 No； it is reasonable to expect that the seed will differ。
Soc。 And for the betterwhich？
Hipp。 Theirs clearly who are at their prime。
Soc。 It would seem that the seed of those who are not yet in their
prime or have passed their prime is not good？
Hipp。 It seems most improbable it should be。
Soc。 Then the right way to produce children is not that way？
Hipp。 No； that is not the right way。
Soc。 Then children who are so produced are produced not as they ought
to be？
Hipp。 So it appears to me。
What offspring then （he asked） will be ill produced； ill begotten； and
ill born； if not these？
I subscribe to that opinion also （replied Hippias）。
Soc。 Well； it is a custom universally respected； is it not； to return
good for good； and kindness with kindness？
Hipp。 Yes； a custom； but one which again is apt to be transgressed。
Soc。 Then he that so transgresses it pays penalty in finding himself
isolated； bereft of friends who are good； and driven to seek after
those who love him not。 Or is it not so that he who does me kindness
in my intercourse with him is my good friend； but if I requite not
this kindness to my benefactor； I am hated by him for my ingratitude；
and yet I must needs pursue after him and cling to him because of the
great gain to me of his society？
Hipp。 Yes； Socrates。 In all these cases； I admit； there is an
implication of divine authority；＇38＇ that a law should in itself be
loaded with the penalty of its transgression does suggest to my mind a
higher than human type of legistlator。
＇38＇ Lit。 〃Yes； upon my word； Socrates； all these cases look very like
（would seem to point to） the gods。〃
Soc。 And in your opinion； Hippias； is the legislation of the gods just
and righteous； or the reverse of what is just and righteous？
Hipp。 Not the reverse of what is just and righteous； Socrates； God
forbid！ for scarcely could any other legislate aright； of not God
himself。
Soc。 It would seem then； Hippias； the gods themselves are well pleased
that 〃the lawful〃 and 〃the just〃 should be synonymous？＇39＇
＇39＇ Or； 〃it is well pleasing also to the gods that what is lawful is
just and what is just is lawful。〃
By such language and by such conduct； through example and precept
alike； he helped to make those who approached him more upright and
more just。
V
And now I propose to show in what way h
