the memorabilia-第8章
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Ar。 In the writings of epic poetry I have the greatest admiration for
Homer。 。 。 。 And as a dithyrambic poet for Melanippides。＇4＇ I admire
also Sophocles as a tragedian； Polycleitus as a sculptor； and Zeuxis
as a painter。
＇4＇ Melanippides； 430 B。C。 See Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃 s。n。
Soc。 Which would you consider the more worthy of admiration； a
fashioner of senseless images devoid of motion or one who could
fashion living creatures endowed with understanding and activity？
Ar。 Decidedly the latter； provided his living creatures owed their
birth to design and were not the offspring of some chance。
Soc。 But now if you had two sorts of things； the one of which presents
no clue as to what it is for； and the other is obviously for some
useful purposewhich would you judge to be the result of chance；
which of design？
Ar。 Clearly that which is produced for some useful end is the work of
design。
Soc。 Does it not strike you then that he who made man from the
beginning＇5＇ did for some useful end furnish him with his several
sensesgiving him eyes to behold the visible word； and ears to catch
the intonations of sound？ Or again； what good would there be in odours
if nostrils had not been bestowed upon us？ what perception of sweet
things and pungent； and of all the pleasures of the palate； had not a
tongue been fashioned in us as an interpreter of the same？ And besides
all this； do you not think this looks like a matter of foresight； this
closing of the delicate orbs of sight with eyelids as with folding
doors； which； when there is need to use them for any purpose； can be
thrown wide open and firmly closed again in sleep？ and； that even the
winds of heaven may not visit them too roughly； this planting of the
eyelashes as a protecting screen？＇6＇ this coping of the region above
the eyes with cornice…work of eyebrow so that no drop of sweat fall
from the head and injure them？ again this readiness of the ear to
catch all sounds and yet not to be surcharged？ this capacity of the
front teeth of all animals to cut and of the 〃grinders〃 to receive the
food and reduce it to pulp？ the position of the mouth again； close to
the eyes and nostrils as a portal of ingress for all the creature's
supplies？ and lastly； seeing that matter passing out＇7＇ of the body is
unpleasant； this hindward direction of the passages； and their removal
to a distance from the avenues of sense？ I ask you； when you see all
these things constructed with such show of foresight can you doubt
whether they are products of chance or intelligence？
＇5＇ Cf。 Aristot。 〃de Part。 Animal。〃 1。 For the 〃teleological〃 views
see IV。 iii。 2 foll。
＇6＇ 〃Like a sieve〃 or 〃colander。〃
＇7＇ 〃That which goeth out of a man。〃
Ar。 To be sure not！ Viewed in this light they would seem to be the
handiwork of some wise artificer；＇8＇ full of love for all things
living。＇9＇
＇8＇ 〃Demiurge。〃
＇9＇ Passage referred to by Epictetus ap。 Stob。 〃Flor。〃 121； 29。
Soc。 What shall we say of this passion implanted in man to beget
offspring； this passion in the mother to rear her babe； and in the
creature itself； once born； this deep desire of life and fear of
death？
Ar。 No doubt these do look like the contrivances of some one
deliberately planning the existence of living creatures。
Soc。 Well； and doubtless you feel to have a spark of wisdom yourself？
Ar。 Put your questions； and I will answer。
Soc。 And yet you imagine that elsewhere no spark of wisdom is to be
found？ And that； too； when you know that you have in your body a tiny
fragment only of the mighty earth； a little drop of the great waters；
and of the other elements； vast in their extent； you got； I presume； a
particle of each towards the compacting of your bodily frame？ Mind
alone； it would seem； which is nowhere to be found；＇10＇ you had the
lucky chance to snatch up and make off with； you cannot tell how。 And
these things around and about us； enormous in size； infinite in
number； owe their orderly arrangement； as you suppose； to some vacuity
of wit？
＇10＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Phileb。〃 30 B： 〃Soc。 May our body be said to have a
soul？ Pro。 Clearly。 Soc。 And whence comes that soul； my dear
Protarchus； unless the body of the universe； which contains
elements similar to our bodies but finer； has also a soul？ Can
there be any other source？〃Jowett。 Cic。 〃de N。 D。〃 ii。 6； iii。
11。
Ar。 It may be； for my eyes fail to see the master agents of these； as
one sees the fabricators of things produced on earth。
Soc。 No more do you see your own soul； which is the master agent of
your body； so that； as far as that goes； you may maintain； if you
like； that you do nothing with intelligence；＇11＇ but everything by
chance。
＇11＇ Or； 〃by your wit；〃 ｛gnome｝。
At this point Aristodemus： I assure you； Socrates； that I do not
disdain the Divine power。 On the contrary； my belief is that the
Divinity is too grand to need any service which I could render。
Soc。 But the grander that power is； which deigns to tend and wait upon
you； the more you are called upon to honour it。
Ar。 Be well assured； if I could believe the gods take thought for all
men； I would not neglect them。
Soc。 How can you suppose that they do not so take thought？ Who； in the
first place； gave to man alone of living creatures his erect posture；
enabling him to see farther in front of him and to contemplate more
freely the height above； and to be less subject to distress than other
creatures ＇endowed like himself with eyes and ears and mouth＇。＇12＇
Consider next how they gave to the beast of the field＇13＇ feet as a
means of progression only； but to man they gave in addition hands
those hands which have achieved so much to raise us in the scale of
happiness above all animals。 Did they not make the tongue also？ which
belongs indeed alike to man and beast； but in man they fashioned it so
as to play on different parts of the mouth at different times； whereby
we can produce articulate speech； and have a code of signals to
express our every want to one another。 Or consider the pleasures of
the sexual appetite； limited in the rest of the animal kingdom to
certain seasons； but in the case of man a series prolonged unbroken to
old age。 Nor did it content the Godhead merely to watch over the
interests of man's body。 What is of far higher import； he implanted in
man the noblest and most excellent type of soul。 For what other
creature； to begin with； has a soul to appreciate the existence of the
gods who have arranged this grand and beauteous universe？ What other
tribe of animals save man can render service to the gods？ How apt is
the spirit of man to take precautions against hunger and thirst； cold
and heat； to alleviate disease and foster strength！ how suited to
labour with a view to learning！ how capable of garnering in the
storehouse of his memory all that he has heard or seen or understood！
Is it not most evident to you that by the side of other animals men
live and move a race of godsby nature excellent； in beauty of body
and of soul supreme？ For； mark you； had a creature of man's wit been
encased in the body of an ox；＇14＇ he would have been powerless to
carry out his wishes； just as the possession of hands divorced from
human wit is profitless。 And then you come； you who have obtained
these two most precious attributes； and give it as your opinion； that
the gods take no thought or care for you。 Why； what will you have them
to do； that you may believe and be persuaded that you too are in their
thoughts？
＇12＇ See Kuhner for an attempt to cure the text。
＇13＇ ｛erpetois｝； a 〃poetical〃 word。 Cf。 〃Od。〃 iv。 418； Herod。 i。 140。
＇14＇ See Aristot。 〃de Part。 Animal。〃 iv。 10。
Ar。 When they treat me as you tell us they treat you； and send me
counsellors to warn me what I am to do and what abstain from
doing；＇15＇ I will believe。
＇15＇ See IV。 iii。 12。
Soc。 Send you counsellors！ Come now； what when the people of Athens
make inquiry by oracle； and the gods' answer comes？ Are you not an
Athenian？ Think you not that to you also the answer is given？ What
when they send portents to forewarn the states of Hellas？ or to all
mankind？ Are you not a man？ a Hellene？ Are not these in
