the memorabilia-第6章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
his associates to be evildoers and tyrranical： the line of Hesiod＇30＇
for instance
No work is a disgrace； slackness of work is the disgrace
〃interpreted；〃 says the accuser； 〃by Socrates as if the poet enjoined
us to abstain from no work wicked or ignoble； do everything for the
sake of gain。〃
＇30＇ 〃Works and Days；〃 309 ｛'Ergon d' ouden oneidos｝。 Cf。 Plat。
〃Charm。〃 163 C。
Now while Socrates would have entirely admitted the propositions that
〃it is a blessing and a benefit to a man to be a worker；〃 and that 〃a
lazy do…nothing is a pestilent evil；〃 that 〃work is good and idleness
a curse；〃 the question arises； whom did he mean by workers？ In his
vocabulary only those were good workmen＇31＇ who were engaged on good
work； dicers and gamblers and others engaged on any other base and
ruinous business he stigmatised as the 〃idle drones〃； and from this
point of view the quotation from Hesiod is unimpeachable
No work is a disgrace； only idlesse is disgrace。
But there was a passage from Homer＇32＇ for ever on his lips； as the
accuser tells usthe passage which says concerning Odysseus；
What prince； or man of name；
He found flight…giv'n； he would restrain with words of gentlest blame：
〃Good sir； it fits you not to fly； or fare as one afraid；
You should not only stay yourself； but see the people stayed。〃
Thus he the best sort us'd； the worst； whose spirits brake out in noise；＇33＇
He cudgell'd with his sceptre； chid； and said； 〃Stay； wretch； be still；
And hear thy betters； thou art base； and both in power and skill
Poor and unworthy； without name in counsel or in war。〃
We must not all be kings。
＇31＇ See below； III。 ix。 9。
＇32＇ 〃Il。〃 ii。 188 foll。； 199 foll。 （so Chapman）。
＇33＇ Lit。 〃But whatever man of the people he saw and found him
shouting。〃W。 Leaf。
The accuser informs us that Socrates interpreted these lines as though
the poet approved the giving of blows to commoners and poor folk。 Now
no such remark was ever made by Socrates； which indeed would have been
tantamount to maintaining that he ought to be beaten himself。 What he
did say was； that those who were useful neither in word nor deed； who
were incapable of rendering assistance in time of need to the army or
the state or the people itself； be they never so wealthy； ought to be
restrained； and especially if to incapacity they added effrontery。
As to Socrates； he was the very opposite of all thishe was plainly a
lover of the people； and indeed of all mankind。 Though he had many
ardent admirers among citizens and strangers alike； he never demanded
any fee for his society from any one；＇34＇ but bestowed abundantly upon
all alike of the riches of his souldgood things； indeed； of which
fragments accepted gratis at his hands were taken and sold at high
prices to the rest of the community by some；＇35＇ who were not； as he
was； lovers of the people； since with those who had not money to give
in return they refused to discourse。 But of Socrates be it said that
in the eyes of the whole world he reflected more honour on the state
and a richer lustre than ever Lichas；＇36＇ whose fame is proverbial；
shed on Lacedaemon。 Lichas feasted and entertained the foreign
residents in Lacedaemon at the Gymnopaediae most handsomely。 Socrates
gave a lifetime to the outpouring of his substance in the shape of the
greatest benefits bestowed on all who cared to receive them。 In other
words； he made those who lived in his society better men； and sent
them on their way rejoicing。
＇34＇ See 〃Symp。〃 iv。 43； Plat。 〃Hipp。 maj。〃 300 D； 〃Apol。〃 19 E。
＇35＇ See Diog。 Laert。 II。 viii。 1。
＇36＇ See 〃Hell。〃 III。 ii。 21； Thuc。 v。 50； Plut。 〃Cim。〃 284 C。 For the
Gymnopaediae； see Paus。 III。 xi。 9； Athen。 xiv。 p。 631。
To no other conclusion； therefore； can I come but that； being so good
a man； Socrates was worthier to have received honour from the state
than death。 And this I take to be the strictly legal view of the case；
for what does the law require？＇37＇ 〃If a man be proved to be a thief；
a filcher of clothes； a cut…purse； a housebreaker； a man…stealer； a
robber of temples； the penalty is death。〃 Even so； and of all men
Socrates stood most aloof from such crimes。
＇37＇ See 〃Symp。〃 iv。 36； Plat。 〃Rep。〃 575 B； 〃Gorg。〃 508 E。
To the state he was never the cause of any evilneither disaster in
war； nor faction； nor treason； nor any other mischief whatsoever。 And
if his public life was free from all offence； so was his private。 He
never hurt a single soul either by deprivation of good or infliction
of evil； nor did he ever lie under the imputation of any of those
misdoings。 WHere then is his liability to the indictment to be found？
Who； so far from disbelieving in the gods； as set forth in the
indictment； was conspicuous beyond all men for service to heaven； so
far from corrupting the younga charge alleged with insistence by the
prosecutorwas notorious for the zeal with which he strove not only
to stay his associates from evil desires； but to foster in them a
passionate desire for that loveliest and queenliest of virtues without
which states and families crumble to decay。＇38＇ Such being his
conduct； was he not worthy of high honour from the state of Athens？
＇38＇ Or； 〃the noblest and proudest virtue by means of which states and
families are prosperously directed。〃
III
It may serve to illustrate the assertion that he benefited his
associates partly by the display of his own virtue and partly by
verbal discourse and argument； if I set down my various
recollections＇1＇ on these heads。 And first with regard to religion and
the concerns of heaven。 In conduct and language his behaviour
conformed to the rule laid down by the Pythia＇2＇ in reply to the
question； 〃How shall we act？〃 as touching a sacrifice or the worship
of ancestors； or any similar point。 Her answer is： 〃Act according to
the law and custom of your state； and you will act piously。〃 After
this pattern Socrates behaved himself； and so he exhorted others to
behave； holding them to be but busybodies and vain fellows who acted
on any different principle。
＇1＇ Hence the title of the work； ｛'Apomenmoneumata｝； 〃Recollections；
Memoirs； Memorabilia。〃 See Diog。 Laert。 〃Xen。〃 II。 vi。 48。
＇2＇ The Pythia at Delphi。
His formula or prayer was simple： 〃Give me that which is best for me；〃
for； said he； the gods know best what good things areto pray for
gold or silver or despotic power were no better than to make some
particular throw at dice or stake in battle or any such thing the
subject of prayer； of which the future consequences are manifestly
uncertain。＇3＇
＇3＇ See （Plat。） 〃Alcib。 II。〃 142 foll。； Valerius Max。 vii。 2；
〃Spectator；〃 No。 207。
If with scant means he offered but small sacrifices he believed that
he was in no wise inferior to those who make frequent and large
sacrifices from an ampler store。 It were ill surely for the very gods
themselves； could they take delight in large sacrifices rather than in
small； else oftentimes must the offerings of bad men be found
acceptable rather than of good； nor from the point of view of men
themselves would life be worth living if the offerings of a villain
rather than of a righteous man found favour in the sight of Heaven。
His belief was that the joy of the gods is greater in proportion to
the holiness of the giver； and he was ever an admirer of that line of
Hesiod which says；
According to thine ability do sacrifice to the immortal gods。＇4＇
＇4＇ Hesiod； 〃Works and Days；〃 336。 See 〃Anab。〃 III。 ii。 9。
〃Yes；〃 he would say； 〃in our dealings with friends and strangers
alike； and in reference to the demands of life in general； there is no
better motto for a man than that： 'let a man do according to his
ability。'〃
Or to take another point。 If it appeared to him that a sign from
heaven had been given him； nothing would have induced him to go
against heavenly warning： he would as soon have been persuaded to
accept the guidance of a blind man ignorant of the path to lead him on
a journey in place of one who knew the road and could see； and so he
denounced the folly of others who do things contrary to the warnings
