thais-第18章

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little　for　the　civic　virtues；　and　you　think　that　the　sage　ought　to
hold　himself　aloof　from　all　affairs。　I　think；　on　the　contrary；　that　an
honest　man　should　desire　nothing　better　than　to　fill　a　responsible
post　in　the　State。　The　State　is　a　noble　thing。〃

Hermodorus；　the　High　Priest　of　Serapis；　spoke　next

〃Dorion　has　asked；　'What　is　one's　country？'　I　will　reply　that　the
altars　of　the　gods　and　the　tombs　of　ancestors　make　one's　country。　A
man　is　a　fellow…citizen　by　association　of　memories　and　hopes。〃

Young　Aristobulus　interrupted　Hermodorus。

〃By　Castor！　I　saw　a　splendid　horse　to…day。　It　belonged　to　Demophoon。
It　has　a　fine　head；　small　jaw；　and　strong　forelegs。　It　carries　its
neck　high　and　proud；　like　a　cock。〃

But　young　Chereas　shook　his　head。

〃It　is　not　such　a　good　horse　as　you　say；　Aristobulus。　Its　hoofs　are
thin；　and　the　pasterns　are　too　low；　the　animal　will　soon　go　lame。〃

They　were　continuing　their　dispute；　when　Drosea　uttered　a　piercing
shriek。

〃Oh！　I　nearly　swallowed　a　fish…bone；　as　long　and　much　sharper　than　a
style。　Luckily；　I　was　able　to　get　it　out　of　my　throat　in　time！　The
gods　love　me！〃

〃Did　you　say；　Drosea；　that　the　gods　loved　you？〃　asked　Nicias；　smiling。
〃Then　they　must　share　the　same　infirmities　as　men。　Love　presupposes
unhappiness　on　the　part　of　whoever　suffers　from　it；　and　is　a　proof　of
weakness。　The　affection　they　feel　for　Drosea　is　a　great　proof　of　the
imperfection　of　the　gods。〃

At　these　words　Drosea　flew　into　a　great　rage。

〃Nicias；　your　remarks　are　foolish　and　not　to　the　point。　But　that　is
your　characteryou　never　understand　what　is　said；　and　reply　in　words
devoid　of　sense。〃

Nicias　smiled　again。

〃Talk　away；　talk　away；　Drosea。　Whatever　you　say；　we　are　glad　every
time　you　open　your　mouth。　Your　teeth　are　so　pretty！〃

At　that　moment；　a　grave…looking　old　man；　negligently　dressed；　walking
slowly；　with　his　head　high；　entered　the　room；　and　gazed　at　the　guests
quietly。　Cotta　made　a　sign　to　him　to　take　a　place　by　his　side；　on　the
same　couch。

〃Eucrites；〃　he　said；　〃you　are　welcome。　Have　you　composed　a　new
treatise　on　philosophy　this　month？　That　would　make；　if　I　calculate
correctly；　the　ninety…second　that　has　proceeded　from　the　Nile　reed　you
direct　with　an　Attic　hand。〃

Eucrites　replied；　stroking　his　silver　beard

〃The　nightingale　was　created　to　sing；　and　I　was　created　to　praise　the
immortal　gods。〃

DORION。　Let　us　respectfully　salute；　in　Eucrites；　the　last　of　the
stoics。　Grave　and　white；　he　stands　in　the　midst　of　us　like　the　image
of　an　ancestor。　He　is　solitary　amidst　a　crowd　of　men；　and　the　words　he
utters　are　not　heard。

EUCRITES。　You　deceive　yourself；　Dorion。　The　philosophy　of　virtue　is
not　dead。　I　have　numerous　disciples　in　Alexandria；　Rome；　and
Constantinople。　Many　of　the　slaves；　and　some　of　the　nephews　of　Caesar；
now　know　how　to　govern　themselves；　to　live　independently；　and　being
unconcerned　with　all　affairs；　they　enjoy　boundless　happiness。　Many　of
them　have　revived；　in　their　own　person；　Epictetus　and　Marcus　Aurelius。
But　if　it　were　true　that　virtue　were　for　ever　extinguished　upon　the
earth；　in　what　way　would　the　loss　of　it　affect　my　happiness；　since　it
did　not　depend　on　me　whether　it　existed　or　perished？　Only　fools；
Dorion；　place　their　happiness　out　of　their　own　power。　I　desire　nothing
that　the　gods　do　not　wish；　and　I　desire　all　that　they　do　wish。　By　that
means　I　render　myself　like　unto　them；　and　share　their　infallible
content。　If　virtue　perishes；　I　consent　that　it　should　perish；　and　that
consent　fills　me　with　joy；　as　the　supreme　effort　of　my　reason　or　my
courage。　In　all　things　my　wisdom　will　copy　the　divine　wisdom；　and　the
copy　will　be　more　valuable　than　the　model；　it　will　have　cost　greater
care　and　more　work。

NICIAS。　I　understand。　You　put　yourself　on　the　same　level　as　divine
providence。　But　if　virtue　consists　only　in　effort；　Eucrites；　and　in
that　intense　application　by　which　the　disciples　of　Zeno　pretend　to
render　themselves　equal　to　the　gods；　the　frog；　which　swelled　itself
out　to　try　and　become　as　big　as　the　ox；　accomplished　a　masterpiece　of
stoicism。

EUCRITES。　You　jest；　Nicias；　and；　as　usual；　you　excel　in　ridicule。　But
if　the　ox　of　which　you　speak　is　really　a　god；　like　Apis；　or　like　that
subterranean　ox　whose　high　priest　I　see　here；　and　if　the　frog；　being
wisely　inspired；　succeed　in　equalling　it；　would　it　not　be；　in　fact；
more　virtuous　than　the　ox；　and　could　you　refrain　from　admiring　such　a
courageous　little　animal！

Four　servants　placed　on　the　table　a　wild　pig；　still　covered　with　its
bristles。　Little　pigs；　made　of　pastry；　surrounded　the　animal；　as
though　they　would　suckle；　to　show　that　it　was　a　sow。

Zenothemis；　turning　towards　the　monk；　said

〃Friends；　a　guest　has　come　hither　to　join　us。　The　illustrious
Paphnutius；　who　leads　such　an　extraordinary　life　of　solitude；　is　our
unexpected　guest。〃

COTTA。　You　may　even　add；　Zenothemis；　that　the　place　of　honour　is　due
to　him；　because　he　came　without　being　invited。

ZENOTHEMIS。　Therefore；　we　ought；　my　dear　Lucius；　to　make　him　the　more
welcome；　and　strive　to　do　that　which　would　be　most　agreeable　to　him。
Now　it　is　certain　that　such　a　man　cares　less　for　the　perfumes　of　meat
than　for　the　perfumes　of　fine　thoughts。　We　shall；　doubtless；　please
him　by　discussing　the　doctrine　he　professes；　which　is　that　of　Jesus
crucified。　For　my　own　part；　I　shall　the　more　willingly　discuss　this
doctrine；　because　it　keenly　interests　me；　on　account　of　the　number　and
the　diversity　of　the　allegories　it　contains。　If　one　may　guess　at　the
spirit　by　the　letter；　it　is　filled　with　truths；　and　I　consider　that
the　Christian　books　abound　in　divine　revelations。　But　I　should　not；
Paphnutius；　grant　equal　merit　to　the　Jewish　books。　They　were　inspired
not；　as　it　was　said；　by　the　Spirit　of　God；　but　by　an　evil　genius。
Iaveh；　who　dictated　them；　was　one　of　those　spirits　who　people　the
lower　air；　and　cause　the　greater　part　of　the　evils；　from　which　we
suffer；　but　he　surpassed　all　the　others　in　ignorance　and　ferocity。　On
the　contrary；　the　serpent　with　golden　wings；　which　twined　its　azure
coils　round　the　tree　of　knowledge；　was　made　up　of　light　and　love。　A
combat　between　these　two　powersthe　one　of　light　and　the　other　of
darknesswas；　therefore；　inevitable。　It　occurred　soon　after　the
creation　of　the　world。　God　had　hardly　begun　to　rest　after　His　labors；
Adam　and　Eve；　the　first　man　and　the　first　woman；　lived　happy　and　naked
in　the　Garden　of　Eden；　when　Iaveh　conceivedto　their　misfortunethe
design　of　governing　them　and　all　the　generations　which　Eve　already
bore　in　her　splendid　loins。　As　he　possessed　neither　the　compass　nor
the　lyre；　and　was　equally　ignorant　of　the　science　which　commands　and
the　art　which　persuades；　he　frightened　these　two　poor　children　by
hideous　apparitions；　capricious　threats；　and　thunder…bolts。　Adam　and
Eve；　feeling　his　shadow　upon　them；　pressed　closer　to　one　another；　and
their　love　waxed　stronger　in　fear。　The　serpent　took　pity　on　them；　and
determined　to　instruct　them；　in　order　that；　possessing　knowledge；　they
might　no　longer　be　misled　by　lies。　Such　an　undertaking　required
extreme　prudence；　and　the　frailty　of　the　first　human　couple　rendered
it　almost　hopeless。　The　well…intentioned　demon　essayed　it；　however。
Without　the　knowledge　of　Iavehwho　pretended　to　see　everything；　but；
in　reality；　was　not　very　sharp…sightedhe　approached　these　two
beings；　and　charmed　their　eyes　by　the　splendour　of　his　coat　and　the
brilliancy　of　his　wings。　Then　he　interested　their　minds　by　forming
before　them；　with　his　body；　definite　figures；　such　as　the　circle；　the
ellipse；　and　the　spiral；　the　wonderful　properties　of　which　have　since
been　recognised　by　the　Greeks。　Adam　meditated　on　these　figures　more
than　Eve　did。　But　when　the　serpent　began　to　speak；　and　taught　the　most
sublime　truthsthose　which　cannot　be　demonstratedhe　found　that　Adam
being　made　of　red　earth；　was　of　too　dull　a　nature　to　understand　these
subtle　distinctions；　but　that　Eve；　on　the　contrary；　being　more　tender
and　more　sensitive；　was　easily　impressed。　Therefore　he　conversed　with
her　alone；　in　the　absence　of　her　husband；　in　order　to　initiate　her
first

DORION。　Permit　me；　Zenothemis；　to　interrupt　you。　I　speedily　reco