thais-第19章

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first

DORION。　Permit　me；　Zenothemis；　to　interrupt　you。　I　speedily　recognised
in　the　myth　you　have　explained　to　us　an　episode　in　the　war　of　Pallas
Athene　against　the　giants。　Iaveh　much　resembles　Typhoon；　and　Pallas　is
represented　by　the　Athenians　with　a　serpent　at　her　side。　But　what　you
have　said　causes　me　considerable　doubt　as　to　the　intelligence　or　good
faith　of　the　serpent　of　whom　you　have　spoken。　If　he　had　really
possessed　knowledge；　would　he　have　entrusted　it　to　a　woman's　little
head；　which　was　incapable　of　containing　it？　I　should　rather　consider
that　he　was　like　Iaveh；　ignorant　and　a　liar；　and　that　he　chose　Eve
because　she　was　easily　seduced；　and　he　imagined　that　Adam　would　have
more　intelligence　and　perception。

ZENOTHEMIS。　Learn；　Dorion；　that　it　is　not　by　perception　and
intelligence；　but　by　sensibility；　that　the　highest　and　purest　truths
are　reached。　That　is　why　women；　who；　generally；　are　less　reflective
but　more　sensitive　than　men；　rise　more　easily　to　the　knowledge　of
things　divine。　In　them　is　the　gift　of　prophecy；　and　it　is　not　without
reason　that　Apollo　Citharedes；　and　Jesus　of　Nazareth；　are　sometimes
represented　clad；　like　women；　in　flowing　robes。　The　initiator　was
therefore　wisewhatever　you　may　say　to　the　contrary；　Dorionin
bestowing　light；　not　on　the　duller　Adam；　but　on　Eve；　who　was　whiter
than　milk　or　the　stars。　She　freely　listened　to　him；　and　allowed
herself　to　be　led　to　the　tree　of　knowledge；　the　branches　of　which　rose
to　heaven；　and　which　was　bathed　with　the　divine　spirit　as　with　a　dew。
This　tree　was　covered　with　leaves　which　spoke　all　the　languages　of
future　races　of　men；　and　their　united　voices　formed　a　perfect　harmony。
Its　abundant　fruit　gave　to　the　initiated　who　tasted　it　the　knowledge
of　metals；　stones；　and　plants；　and　also　of　physical　and　moral　laws；
but　this　fruit　was　like　fire；　and　those　who　feared　suffering　and　death
did　not　dare　to　put　it　to　their　lips。　Now；　as　she　had　listened
attentively　to　the　lessons　of　the　serpent；　Eve　despised　these　empty
terrors；　and　wished　to　taste　the　fruit　which　gave　the　knowledge　of
God。　But；　as　she　loved　Adam；　and　did　not　wish　him　to　be　inferior　to
her；　she　took　him　by　the　hand　and　led　him　to　the　wonderful　tree。　Then
she　picked　one　of　the　burning　apples；　bit　it；　and　proffered　it　to　her
companion。　Unfortunately；　Iaveh；　who　was　by　chance　walking　in　the
garden；　surprised　them；　and　seeing　that　they　had　become　wise；　he　fell
into　a　most　ungovernable　rage。　It　is　in　his　jealous　fits　that　he　is
most　to　be　feared。　Assembling　all　his　forces；　he　created　such　a
turmoil　in　the　lower　air　that　these　two　weak　beings　were　terrified。
The　fruit　fell　from　the　man's　hand；　and　the　woman；　clinging　to　the
neck　of　her　luckless　husband；　said；　〃I　too　will　be　ignorant　and　suffer
with　him。〃　The　triumphant　Iaveh　kept　Adam　and　Eve　and　all　their　seed
in　a　condition　of　hebetude　and　terror。　His　art；　which　consisted　only
in　being　able　to　make　huge　meteors；　triumphed　over　the　science　of　the
serpent；　who　was　a　musician　and　geometrician。　He　made　men　unjust；
ignorant；　and　cruel；　and　caused　evil　to　reign　in　the　earth。　He
persecuted　Cain　and　his　sons　because　they　were　skilful　workmen；　he
exterminated　the　Philistines　because　they　composed　Orphic　poems；　and
fables　like　those　of　AEsop。　He　was　the　implacable　enemy　of　science　and
beauty；　and　for　long　ages　the　human　race　expiated；　in　blood　and　tears；
the　defeat　of　the　winged　serpent。　Fortunately；　there　arose　among　the
Greeks　learned　men；　such　as　Pythagoras；　and　Plato；　who　recovered　by
the　force　of　genius；　the　figures　and　the　ideas　which　the　enemy　of
Iaveh　had　vainly　tried　to　teach　the　first　woman。　The　soul　of　the
serpent　was　in　them；　and　that　is　why　the　serpent；　as　Dorion　has　said；
is　honoured　by　the　Athenians。　Finally；　in　these　latter　days；　there
appeared；　under　human　form；　three　celestial　spiritsJesus　of　Galilee；
Basilides；　and　Valentinusto　whom　it　was　given　to　pluck　the　finest
fruits　of　that　tree　of　knowledge；　whose　roots　pass　through　all　the
earth；　and　whose　top　reaches　to　the　highest　heaven。　I　have　said　all
this　in　vindication　of　the　Christians；　to　whom　the　errors　of　the　Jews
are　too　often　imputed。

DORION。　If　I　understood　you　aright；　Zenothemis；　you　said　that　three
wonderful　menJesus；　Basilides；　and　Valentinushad　discovered
secrets　which　had　remained　hidden　from　Pythagoras　and　Plato；　and　all
the　philosophers　of　Greece；　and　even　from　the　divine　Epicurus；　who；
however；　has　freed　men　from　the　dread　of　empty　terrors。　You　would
greatly　oblige　me　by　telling　me　by　what　means　these　three　mortals
acquired　knowledge　which　had　eluded　the　most　contemplative　sages。

ZENOTHEMIS。　Must　I　repeat　to　you；　Dorion；　that　science　and　cogitation
are　but　the　first　steps　to　knowledge；　and　that　ecstasy　alone　leads　to
eternal　truth？

HERMODORUS。　It　is　true；　Zenothemis；　that　the　soul　is　nourished　on
ecstasy；　as　the　cicada　is　nourished　on　dew。　But　we　may　even　say　more：
the　mind　alone　is　capable　of　perfect　rapture。　For　man　is　of　a
threefold　nature；　composed　of　material　body；　of　a　soul　which　is　more
subtle；　but　also　material；　and　of　an　incorruptible　mind。　When；
emerging　from　the　body　as　from　a　palace　suddenly　given　over　to　silence
and　solitude　and　flying　through　the　gardens　of　the　soul；　the　mind
diffuses　itself　in　God；　it　tastes　the　delights　of　an　anticipated
death；　or　rather　of　a　future　life；　for　to　die　is　to　live；　and　in　that
condition；　partaking　of　divine　purity；　it　possesses　both　infinite　joy
and　complete　knowledge。　It　enters　into　the　unity　which　is　All。　It　is
perfected。

NICIAS。　That　is　very　fine；　but；　to　say　the　truth；　Hermodorus；　I　do　not
see　much　difference　between　All　and　Nothing。　Words　even　seem　to　fail
to　make　the　distinction。　Infinity　is　terribly　like　nothingnessthey
are　both　inconceivable　to　the　mind。　In　my　opinion　perfection　costs　too
dear；　we　pay　for　it　with　all　our　being；　and　to　possess　it　must　cease
to　exist。　That　is　a　calamity　from　which　God　Himself　is　not　free；　for
the　philosophers　are　doing　their　best　to　perfect　Him。　After　all；　if　we
do　not　know　what　it　is　/not/　to　be；　we　are　equally　ignorant　what　it　is
to　/be/。　We　know　nothing。　It　is　said　that　it　is　impossible　for　men　to
agree　on　this　question。　I　believein　spite　of　our　noisy　disputes
that　it　is；　on　the　contrary；　impossible　for　men　not　to　become　some　day
all　at　unity　buried　under　the　mass　of　contradictions；　a　Pelion　on
Ossa；　which　they　themselves　have　raised。

COTTA。　I　am　very　fond　of　philosophy；　and　study　it　in　my　leisure　time。
But　I　never　understand　it　well；　except　in　Cicero's　books。　Slaves；　pour
out　the　honeyed　wine！

CALLICRATES。　It　is　a　singular　thing；　but　when　I　am　hungry　I　think　of
the　time　when　the　tragic　poets　sat　at　the　boards　of　good　tyrants；　and
my　mouth　waters。　But　when　I　have　tasted　the　excellent　wine　that　you
give　us　so　abundantly；　generous　Lucius；　I　dream　of　nothing　but　civil
wars　and　heroic　combats。　I　blush　to　live　in　such　inglorious　times；　I
invoke　the　goddess　of　Liberty；　and　I　pour　out　my　bloodin　imagination
with　the　last　Romans　on　the　field　of　Philippi。

COTTA。　In　the　days　of　the　decline　of　the　Republic　my　ancestors　died
with　Brutusfor　liberty。　But　there　is　reason　to　suspect　that　what　the
Roman　people　called　liberty　was　only　in　reality　the　right　to　govern
themselves。　I　do　not　deny　that　liberty　is　the　greatest　boon　a　nation
can　have。　But　the　longer　I　live　the　more　I　am　persuaded　that　only　a
strong　government　can　bestow　it　on　the　citizens。　For　forty　years　I
have　filled　high　positions　in　the　State；　and　my　long　experience　has
shown　me　that　when　the　ruling　power　is　weak　the　people　are　oppressed。
Those；　therefore；　wholike　the　great　majority　of　rhetoricianstry　to
weaken　the　government；　commit　an　abominable　crime。　An　autocrat；　who
governs　by　his　single　will；　may　sometimes　cause　most　deplorable
results；　but　if　he　governs　by　popular　consent　there　is　no　remedy
possible。　Before　the　majesty　of　the　Roman　arms　had　bestowed　peace　upon
all　the　world；　the　only　nations　which　were　happy　were　those　which　were
ruled　over　by　intelligent　despots。

HERMODORUS。　For　my　part；　Lucius；　I　believe　that　there　is　no　such　thing
as　a　good　form　of　government；　and　that　we　shall　never　discover　one；
because　the　Greeks；