the memorabilia-第9章

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when　they　send　portents　to　forewarn　the　states　of　Hellas？　or　to　all
mankind？　Are　you　not　a　man？　a　Hellene？　Are　not　these　intended　for　you
also？　Can　it　be　that　you　alone　are　excepted　as　a　signal　instance　of
Divine　neglect？　Again；　do　you　suppose　that　the　gods　could　have
implanted　in　the　heart　of　man　the　belief　in　their　capacity　to　work　him
weal　or　woe　had　they　not　the　power？　Would　not　men　have　discovered　the
imposture　in　all　this　lapse　of　time？　Do　you　not　perceive　that　the
wisest　and　most　perdurable　of　human　institutionsbe　they　cities　or
tribes　of　menare　ever　the　most　God…fearing；　and　in　the　individual
man　the　riper　his　age　and　judgment；　the　deeper　his　religousness？　Ay；
my　good　sir　（he　broke　forth）；　lay　to　heart　and　understand　that　even　as
your　own　mind　within　you　can　turn　and　dispose　of　your　body　as　it
lists；　so　ought　we　to　think　that　the　wisdom　which　abides　within　the
universal　frame　does　so　dispose　of　all　things　as　it　finds　agreeable　to
itself；　for　hardly　may　it　be　that　your　eye　is　able　to　range　over　many
a　league；　but　that　the　eye　of　God　is　powerless　to　embrace　all　things
at　a　glance；　or　that　to　your　soul　it　is　given　to　dwell　in　thought　on
matters　here　or　far　away　in　Egypt　or　in　Sicily；　but　that　the　wisdom
and　thought　of　God　is　not　sufficient　to　include　all　things　at　one
instant　under　His　care。　If　only　you　would　copy　your　own　behaviour＇16＇
where　human　beings　are　concerned。　It　is　by　acts　of　service　and　of
kindness　that　you　discover　which　of　your　fellows　are　willing　to
requite　you　in　kind。　It　is　by　taking　another　into　your　counsel　that
you　arrive　at　the　secret　of　his　wisdom。　If；　on　like　principle；　you
will　but　make　trial　of　the　gods　by　acts　of　service；　whether　they　will
choose　to　give　you　counsel　in　matters　obscure　to　mortal　vision；　you
shall　discover　the　nature　and　the　greatness　of　Godhead　to　be　such　that
they　are　able　at　once　to　see　all　things　and　to　hear　all　things　and　to
be　present　everywhere；　nor　does　the　least　thing　escape　their　watchful
care。

＇16＇　Or；　〃reason　as　you　are　wont　to　do。〃

To　my　mind　the　effect　of　words　like　these　was　to　cause　those　about　him
to　hold　aloof　from　unholiness；　baseness；　and　injustice；　not　only
whilst　they　were　seen　of　men；　but　even　in　the　solitary　place；　since
they　must　believe　that　no　part　of　their　conduct　could　escape　the　eye
of　Heaven。


V

I　suppose　it　may　be　taken　as　admitted　that　self…control　is　a　noble
acquirement　for　a　man。＇1＇　If　so；　let　us　turn　and　consider　whether　by
language　like　the　following　he　was　likely　to　lead　his　listeners
onwards＇2＇　to　the　attainment　of　this　virtue。　〃Sirs；〃　he　would　say；　〃if
a　war　came　upon　us　and　we　wished　to　choose　a　man　who　would　best　help
us　to　save　ourselves　and　to　subdue　our　enemy；　I　suppose　we　should
scarcely　select　one　whom　we　knew　to　be　a　slave　to　his　belly；　to　wine；
or　lust；　and　prone　to　succumb　to　toil　or　sleep。　Could　we　expect　such
an　one　to　save　us　or　to　master　our　foes？　Or　if　one　of　us　were　nearing
the　end　of　his　days；　and　he　wished　to　discover　some　one　to　whom　he
might　entrust　his　sons　for　education；　his　maiden　daughters　for
protection；　and　his　property　in　general　for　preservation；　would　he
deem　a　libertine　worthy　of　such　offices？　Why；　no　one　would　dream　of
entrusting　his　flocks　and　herds；　his　storehouses　and　barns；　or　the
superintendence　of　his　works　to　the　tender　mercies　of　an　intemperate
slave。　If　a　butler　or　an　errand　boy　with　such　a　character　were　offered
to　us　we　would　not　take　him　as　a　free　gift。　And　if　he　would　not　accept
an　intemperate　slave；　what　pains　should　the　master　himself　take　to
avoid　that　imputation。＇3＇　For　with　the　incontinent　man　it　is　not　as
with　the　self…seeker　and　the　covetous。　These　may　at　any　rate　be　held
to　enrich　themselves　in　depriving　others。　But　the　intemperate　man
cannot　claim　in　like　fashion　to　be　a　blessing　to　himself　if　a　curse　to
his　neighbours；　nay；　the　mischief　which　he　may　cause　to　others　is
nothing　by　comparison　with　that　which　redounds　against　himself；　since
it　is　the　height　of　mischief　to　ruinI　do　not　say　one's　own　house　and
propertybut　one's　own　body　and　one's　own　soul。　Or　to　take　an　example
from　social　intercourse；　no　one　cares　for　a　guest　who　evidently　takes
more　pleasure　in　the　wine　and　the　viands　than　in　the　friends　beside
himwho　stints　his　comrades　of　the　affection　due　to　them　to　dote　upon
a　mistress。　Does　it　not　come　to　this；　that　every　honest　man　is　bound
to　look　upon　self…restraint　as　the　very　corner…stone　of　virtue：＇4＇
which　he　should　seek　to　lay　down　as　the　basis　and　foundation　of　his
soul？　Without　self…restraint　who　can　lay　any　good　lesson　to　heart　or
practise　it　when　learnt　in　any　degree　worth　speaking　of？　Or；　to　put　it
conversely；　what　slave　of　pleasure　will　not　suffer　degeneracy　of　soul
and　body？　By　Hera；＇5＇　well　may　every　free　man　pray　to　be　saved　from
the　service　of　such　a　slave；　and　well　too　may　he　who　is　in　bondage　to
such　pleasures　supplicate　Heaven　to　send　him　good　masters；　seeing　that
is　the　one　hope　of　salvation　left　him。〃

＇1＇　Lit。　〃a　beautiful　and　brave　possesion。〃

＇2＇　｛proubibaze｝。

＇3＇　Or；　〃how　should　the　master　himself　beware　lest　he　fall　into　that
　　　　category。〃

＇4＇　｛krepida｝。　See　Pind。　〃Pyth。〃　iv。　138；　ib。　vii。　3；　ib。　fr。　93。

＇5＇　See　below；　III。　x。　9；　xi。　5；　IV。　ii。　9；　iv。　8；　〃Econ。〃　x。　1；
　　　　〃Cyrop。〃　I。　iv。　12；　Plat。　〃Phaedr。〃　230　B。　Cf。　Shakesp。　〃by'r
　　　　Lakin。〃

Well…tempered　words：　yet　his　self…restraint　shone　forth　even　more　in
his　acts　than　in　his　language。　Not　only　was　he　master　over　the
pleasures　which　flow　from　the　body；　but　of　those　also　which　are　fed　by
riches；　his　belief　being　that　he　who　receives　money　from　this　or　that
chance　donor　sets　up　over　himself　a　master；　and　binds　himself　to　an
abominable　slavery。


VI

In　this　context　some　discussions　with　Antiphon　the　sophist＇1＇　deserve
record。　Antiphon　approaches　Socrates　in　hope　of　drawing　away　his
associates；　and　in　their　presence　thus　accosts　him。

＇1＇　｛o　teratoskopos｝；　〃jealous　of　Socrates；〃　according　to　Aristotle
　　　　ap。　Diog。　Laert。　II。　v。　25。　See　Cobet；　〃Pros。　Xen。〃

Antiphon。　Why；　Socrates；　I　always　thought　it　was　expected　of　students
of　philosophy　to　grow　in　happiness　daily；　but　you　seem　to　have　reaped
other　fruits　from　your　philosophy。　At　any　rate；　you　exist；　I　do　not
say　live；　in　a　style　such　as　no　slave　serving　under　a　master　would　put
up　with。　Your　meat　and　your　drink　are　of　the　cheapest　sort；　and　as　to
clothes；　you　cling　to　one　wretched　cloak　which　serves　you　for　summer
and　winter　alike；　and　so　you　go　the　whole　year　round；　without　shoes　to
your　feet　or　a　shirt　to　your　back。　Then　again；　you　are　not　for　taking
or　making　money；　the　mere　seeking　of　which　is　a　pleasure；　even　as　the
possession　of　it　adds　to　the　sweetness　and　independence　of　existence。
I　do　not　know　whether　you　follow　the　common　rule　of　teachers；　who　try
to　fashion　their　pupils　in　imitation　of　themselves；＇2＇　and　propose　to
mould　the　characters　of　your　companions；　but　if　you　do　you　ought　to
dub　yourself　professor　of　the　art　of　wretchedness。＇3＇

＇2＇　Or；　〃try　to　turn　out　their　pupils　as　copies　of　themselves。〃

＇3＇　See　Arist。　〃Clouds；〃　｛on　o　kakodaimon　Sokrates　kai　Khairephon｝。

Thus　challenged；　Socrates　replied：　One　thing　to　me　is　certain；
Antiphon；　you　have　conceived　so　vivid　an　idea　of　my　life　of　misery
that　for　yourself　you　would　choose　death　sooner　than　live　as　I　do。
Suppose　now　we　turn　and　consider　what　it　is　you　find　so　hard　in　my
life。　Is　it　that　he　who　takes　payment　must　as　a　matter　of　contract
finish　the　work　for　which　he　is　paid；　whereas　I；　who　do　not　take　it；
lie　under　no　constraint　to　discourse　except　with　whom　I　choose？　Do　you
despise　my　dietary　on　the　ground　that　the　food　which　I　eat　is　less
wholesome　and　less　stengthening　than　yours；　or　that　the　articles　of　my
consumption　are　so　scarce　and　so　much　costlier　to　procure　than　yours？
Or　have　the　fruits　of　your　marketing　a　flavour　denied　to　mine？　Do　you
not　know　the　sharper　the　appetite　the　less　the　need　of　sauces；　the
keener　the　thirst　the　less　the　desire　for　out…of…the…way　drinks？　And
as　to　raiment；　clothes；　you　know；　are　changed　on　account　of　cold　or
else　of　heat。　People　only　wear　boots　and　shoes　in　order　not　to　gall
their　feet　and　be　prevented　w