treatises on friendship and old age-第5章
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friendship and treated with respect from interested motives。 But
friendship by its nature admits of no feigning; no pretence: as far
as it goes it is both genuine and spontaneous。 Therefore I gather
that friendship springs from a natural impulse rather than a wish
for help: from an inclination of the heart; combined with a certain
instinctive feeling of love; rather than from a deliberate calculation
of the material advantage it was likely to confer。 The strength of
this feeling you may notice in certain animals。 They show such
love to their offspring for a certain period; and are so beloved by
them; that they clearly have a share in this natural; instinctive
affection。 But of course it is more evident in the case of man: first;
in the natural affection between children and their parents; an
affection which only shocking wickedness can sunder; and next;
when the passion of love has attained to a like strength…on our
finding; that is; some one person with whose character and nature
we are in full sympathy; because we think that we perceive in him
what I may call the beacon…light of virtue。 For nothing inspires
love; nothing conciliates affection; like virtue。 Why; in a certain
sense we may be said to feel affection even for men we have never
seen; owing to their honesty and virtue。 Who; for instance; fails to
dwell on the memory of Gaius Fabricius and Manius Curius with
some affection and warmth of feeling; though he has never seen
them? Or who but loathes Tarquinius Superbus; Spurius Cassius;
Spurius Maelius? We have fought for empire in Italy with two
great generals; Pyrrhus and Hannibal。 For the former; owing to his
probity; we entertain no great feelings of enmity: the latter; owing
to his cruelty; our country has detested and always will detest。
9。 Now; if the attraction of probity is so great that we can love it
not only in those whom we have never seen; but; what is more;
actually in an enemy; we need not be surprised if men's affections
are roused when they fancy that they have seen virtue and
goodness in those with whom a close intimacy is possible。 I do not
deny that affection is strengthened by the actual receipt of benefits;
as well as by the perception of a wish to render service; combined
with a closer intercourse。 When these are added to the original
impulse of the heart; to which I have alluded; a quite surprising
warmth of feeling springs up。 And if any one thinks that this
comes from a sense of weakness; that each may have some one to
help him to his particular need; all I can say is that; when he
maintains it to be born of want and poverty; he allows to friendship
an origin very base; and a pedigree; if I may be allowed the
expression; far from noble。 If this had been the case; a man's
inclination to friendship would be exactly in proportion to his low
opinion of his own resources。 Whereas the truth is quite the other
way。 For when a man's confidence in himself is greatest; when he
is so fortified by virtue and wisdom as to want nothing and to feel
absolutely self…dependent; it is then that he is most conspicuous for
seeking out and keeping up friendships。 Did Africanus; for
example; want anything of me? Not the least in the world!
Neither did I of him。 In my case it was an admiration of his virtue;
in his an opinion; may be; which he entertained of my character;
that caused our affection。 Closer intimacy added to the warmth of
our feelings。 But though many great material advantages did
ensue; they were not the source from which our affection
proceeded。 For as we are not beneficent and liberal with any view
of extorting gratitude; and do not regard an act of kindness as an
investment; but follow a natural inclination to liberality; so we
look on friendship as worth trying for; not because we are attracted
to it by the expectation of ulterior gain; but in the conviction that
what it has to give us is from first to last included in the feeling
itself。
Far different is the view of those who; like brute beasts; refer
everything to sensual pleasure。 And no wonder。 Men who have
degraded all their powers of thought to an object so mean and
contemptible can of course raise their eyes to nothing lofty; to
nothing grand and divine。 Such persons indeed let us leave out of
the present question。 And let us accept the doctrine that the
sensation of love and the warmth of inclination have their origin in
a spontaneous feeling which arises directly the presence of probity
is indicated。 When once men have conceived the inclination; they
of course try to attach themselves to the object of it; and move
themselves nearer and nearer to him。 Their aim is that they may be
on the same footing and the same level in regard to affection; and
be more inclined to do a good service than to ask a return; and that
there should be this noble rivalry between them。 Thus both truths
will be established。 We shall get the most important material
advantages from friendship; and its origin from a natural impulse
rather than from a sense of need will be at once more dignified and
more in accordance with fact。 For if it were true that its material
advantages cemented friendship; it would be equally true that any
change in them would dissolve it。 But nature being incapable of
change; it follows that genuine friendships are eternal。
So much for the origin of friendship。 But perhaps you would not
care to hear any more。
_Fannius_。 Nay; pray go on; let us have the rest; Laelius。 I take on
myself to speak for my friend here as his senior。
_Scaevola_。 Quite right! Therefore; pray let us hear。
10。 _Loelius_。 Well; then; my good friends; listen to some
conversations about friendship which very frequently passed
between Scipio and myself。 I must begin by telling you; however;
that be used to say that the most difficult thing in the world was for
a friendship to remain unimpaired to the end of life。 So many
things might intervene: conflicting interests; differences of opinion
in politics; frequent changes in character; owing sometimes to
misfortunes; sometimes to advancing years。 He used to illustrate
these facts from the analogy of boyhood; since the warmest
affections between boys are often laid aside with the boyish toga;
and even if they did manage to keep them up to adolescence; they
were sometimes broken by a rivalry in courtship; or for some other
advantage to which their mutual claims were not compatible。
Even if the friendship was prolonged beyond that time; yet it
frequently received a rude shock should the two happen to be
competitors for office。 For while the most fatal blow to friendship
in the majority of cases was the lust of gold; in the case of the best
men it was a rivalry for office and reputation; by which it had
often happened that the most violent enmity had arisen between
the closest friends。
Again; wide breaches and; for the most part; justifiable ones were
caused by an immoral request being made of friends; to pander to
a man's unholy desires or to assist him in inflicting a wrong。 A
refusal; though perfectly right; is attacked by those to whom they
refuse compliance as a violation of the laws of friendship。 Now the
people who have no scruples as to the requests they make to their
friends; thereby allow that they are ready to have no scruples as to
what they will do for their friends; and it is the recriminations of
such people which commonly not only quench friendships; but
give rise to lasting enmities。 〃 In fact;〃 he used to say; 〃these
fatalities overhang friendship in such numbers that it requires not
only wisdom but good luck also to escape them all。〃
11。 With these premises; then; let us first; if you please; examine
the question…how far ought personal feeling to go in friendship?
For instance: suppose Coriolanus to have had friends; ought they to
have joined him in invading his country? Again; in the case of
Vecellinus or Spurius Maelius; ought their friends to have assisted
them in their attempt to establish a tyranny? Take two instances of
either line of conduct。 When Tiberius Gracchus attempted his
revolutionary measures he was deserted; as we saw; by Quintus
Tubero and