the memorabilia-第7章
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denounced the folly of others who do things contrary to the warnings
of God in order to avoid some disrepute among men。 For himself he
despised all human aids by comparison with counsel from above。
The habit and style of living to which he subjected his soul and body
was one which under ordinary circumstances＇5＇ would enable any one
adopting it to look existence cheerily in the face and to pass his
days serenely： it would certainly entail no difficulties as regards
expense。 So frugal was it that a man must work little indeed who could
not earn the quantum which contented Socrates。 Of food he took just
enough to make eating a pleasurethe appetite he brought to it was
sauce sufficient； while as to drinks； seeing that he only drank when
thirsty； any draught refreshed。＇6＇ If he accepted an invitation to
dinner； he had no difficulty in avoiding the common snare of over…
indulgence； and his advice to people who could not equally control
their appetite was to avoid taking what would allure them to eat if
not hungry or to drink if not thirsty。＇7＇ Such things are ruinous to
the constitution； he said； bad for stomachs； brains； and soul alike；
or as he used to put it； with a touch of sarcasm；＇8＇ 〃It must have
been by feasting men on so many dainty dishes that Circe produced her
pigs； only Odysseus through his continency and the 'promptings＇9＇ of
Hermes' abstained from touching them immoderately； and by the same
token did not turn into a swine。〃 So much for this topic； which he
touched thus lightly and yet seriously。
＇5＇ ｛ei me ti daimonion eie｝； 〃save under some divinely…ordained
calamity。〃 Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 I。 vi。 18； 〃Symp。〃 viii。 43。
＇6＇ See 〃Ages。〃 ix； Cic。 〃Tusc。〃 v。 34； 97； 〃de Fin。〃 ii。 28； 90。
＇7＇ Cf。 Plut。 〃Mor。〃 128 D； Clement； 〃Paedag。〃 2。 173； 33； 〃Strom。〃 2；
492； 24； Aelian； 〃N。 A。〃 8； 9。
＇8＇ 〃Half in gibe and half in jest；〃 in ref。 to 〃Od。〃 x。 233 foll。：
〃So she let them in 。 。 。〃
＇9＇ ｛upothemosune｝； 〃inspiration。〃 Cf。 〃Il。〃 xv。 412； 〃Od。〃 xvi。 233。
But as to the concerns of Aphrodite； his advice was to hold strongly
aloof from the fascination of fair forms： once lay finger on these and
it is not easy to keep a sound head and a sober mind。 To take a
particular case。 It was a mere kiss which； as he had heard；
Critobulus＇10＇ had some time given to a fair youth； the son of
Alcibiades。＇11＇ Accordingly Critobulus being present； Socrates
propounded the question。
＇10＇ For Critobulus （the son of Crito） see 〃Econ。〃 i。 1 foll。； 〃Symp。〃
i。 3 foll。
＇11＇ See Isocr。 〃Or。〃 xvi。 Cobet conj。 ｛ton tou 'Axiokhou uion｝； i。e。
Clinias。
Soc。 Tell me； Xenophon； have you not always believed Critobulus to be
a man of sound sense； not wild and self…willed？ Should you not have
said that he was remarkable for his prudence rather than thoughtless
or foolhardy？
Xen。 Certainly that is what I should have said of him。
Soc。 Then you are now to regard him as quite the reversea hot…
blooded； reckless libertine： this is the sort of man to throw
somersaults into knives；＇12＇ or to leap into the jaws of fire。
＇12＇ Cf。 〃Symp。〃 ii。 10； iv。 16。 See Schneider ad loc。
Xen。 And what have you seen him doing； that you give him so bad a
character？
Soc。 Doing？ Why； has not the fellow dared to steal a kiss from the son
of Alcibiades； most fair of youths and in the golden prime？
Xen。 Nay； then； if that is the foolhardy adventure； it is a danger
which I could well encounter myself。
Soc。 Pour soul！ and what do you expect your fate to be after that
kiss？ Let me tell you。 On the instant you will lose your freedom； the
indenture of your bondage will be signed； it will be yours on
compulsion to spend large sums on hurtful pleasures； you will have
scarcely a moment's leisure left for any noble study； you will be
driven to concern yourself most zealously with things which no man；
not even a madman； would choose to make an object of concern。
Xen。 O Heracles！ how fell a power to reside in a kiss！
Soc。 Does it surprise you？ Do you not know that the tarantula； which
is no bigger than a threepenny bit；＇13＇ has only to touch the mouth
and it will afflict its victim with pains and drive him out of his
senses。
＇13＇ Lit。 〃a half…obol piece。〃 For the ｛phalaggion｝ see Aristot。 〃H。
A。〃 ix。 39； 1。
Xen。 Yes； but then the creature injects something with its bite。
Soc。 Ah； fool！ and do you imagine that these lovely creatures infuse
nothing with their kiss； simply because you do not see the poison？ Do
you not know that this wild beast which men call beauty in its bloom
is all the more terrible than the tarantula in that the insect must
first touch its victim； but this at a mere glance of thebeholder；
without even contact； will inject something into himyards away
which will make him man。 And may be that is why the Loves are called
〃archers；〃 because these beauties wound so far off。＇14＇ But my advice
to you； Xenophon； is； whenever you catch sight of one of these fair
forms； to run helter…skelter for bare life without a glance behind；
and to you； Critobulus； I would say； 〃Go abroad for a year： so long
time will it take to heal you of this wound。〃
＇14＇ L。 Dindorf； etc。 regard the sentence as a gloss。 Cf。 〃Symp。〃 iv。
26 ＇｛isos de kai 。 。 。 entimoteron estin｝＇。
Such （he said）； in the affairs of Aphrodite； as in meats and drinks；
should be the circumspection of all whose footing is insecure。 At
least they should confine themselves to such diet as the soul would
dispense with； save for some necessity of the body； and which even so
ought to set up no disturbance。＇15＇ But for himself； it was clear； he
was prepared at all points and invulnerable。 He found less difficulty
in abstaining from beauty's fairest and fullest bloom than many others
from weeds and garbage。 To sum up：＇16＇ with regard to eating and
drinking and these other temptations of the sense； the equipment of
his soul made him independent； he could boast honestly that in his
moderate fashion＇17＇ his pleasures were no less than theirs who take
such trouble to procure them； and his pains far fewer。
＇15＇ Cf。 〃Symp。〃 iv。 38。
＇16＇ L。 Dindorf ＇brackets＇ this passage as spurious。
＇17＇ On the principle 〃enough is as good as a feast；〃 ｛arkountos｝。
IV
A belief is current； in accordance with views maintained concerning
Socrates in speech and writing； and in either case conjecturally；
that； however powerful he may have been in stimulating men to virtue
as a theorist； he was incapable of acting as their guide himself。＇1＇
It would be well for those who adopt this view to weigh carefully not
only what Socrates effected 〃by way of castigation〃 in cross…
questioning whose who conceived themselves to be possessed of all
knowledge； but also his everyday conversation with those who spent
their time in close intercourse with himself。 Having done this； let
them decide whether he was incapable of making his companions better。
＇1＇ Al。 〃If any one believes that Socrates； as represented in certain
dialogues （e。g。 of Plato； Antisthenes； etc。） of an imaginary
character； was an adept （｛protrepsasthai｝） in the art of
stimulating people to virtue negatively but scarcely the man to
guide （｛proagein｝） his hearers on the true path himself。〃 Cf。
（Plat。） 〃Clitophon；〃 410 B； Cic。 〃de Or。〃 I。 xlvii。 204； Plut。
〃Mor。〃 798 B。 See Grote； 〃Plato；〃 iii。 21； K。 Joel； op。 cit。 p。 51
foll。； Cf。 below； IV。 iii。 2。
I will first state what I once heard fall from his lips in a
discussion with Aristodemus；＇2＇ 〃the little；〃 as he was called； on the
topic of divinity。＇3＇ Socrates had observed that Aristodemus neither
sacrificed nor gave heed to divination； but on the contrary was
disposed to ridicule those who did。
＇2＇ See Plat。 〃Symp。〃 173 B： 〃He was a little fellow who never wore
any shoes； Aristodemus； of the deme of Cydathenaeum。〃Jowett。
＇3＇ Or； 〃the divine element。〃
So tell me； Aristodemus （he begain）； are there any human beings who
have won your admiration for their wisdom？
Ar。 There are。
Soc。 Would you mention to us their names？
Ar。 In the writings of epic poetry I have the greatest admiration for
Homer。 。 。 。 And as a dithyrambic poet for Mel
