phaedo-第4章
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foolishness of the body will be cleared away and we shall be pure
and hold converse with other pure souls; and know of ourselves the
clear light everywhere; and this is surely the light of truth。 For
no impure thing is allowed to approach the pure。 These are the sort of
words; Simmias; which the true lovers of wisdom cannot help saying
to one another; and thinking。 You will agree with me in that?
Certainly; Socrates。
But if this is true; O my friend; then there is great hope that;
going whither I go; I shall there be satisfied with that which has
been the chief concern of you and me in our past lives。 And now that
the hour of departure is appointed to me; this is the hope with
which I depart; and not I only; but every man who believes that he has
his mind purified。
Certainly; replied Simmias。
And what is purification but the separation of the soul from the
body; as I was saying before; the habit of the soul gathering and
collecting herself into herself; out of all the courses of the body;
the dwelling in her own place alone; as in another life; so also in
this; as far as she can; the release of the soul from the chains of
the body?
Very true; he said。
And what is that which is termed death; but this very separation and
release of the soul from the body?
To be sure; he said。
And the true philosophers; and they only; study and are eager to
release the soul。 Is not the separation and release of the soul from
the body their especial study?
That is true。
And as I was saying at first; there would be a ridiculous
contradiction in men studying to live as nearly as they can in a state
of death; and yet repining when death comes。
Certainly。
Then; Simmias; as the true philosophers are ever studying death;
to them; of all men; death is the least terrible。 Look at the matter
in this way: how inconsistent of them to have been always enemies of
the body; and wanting to have the soul alone; and when this is granted
to them; to be trembling and repining; instead of rejoicing at their
departing to that place where; when they arrive; they hope to gain
that which in life they loved (and this was wisdom); and at the same
time to be rid of the company of their enemy。 Many a man has been
willing to go to the world below in the hope of seeing there an
earthly love; or wife; or son; and conversing with them。 And will he
who is a true lover of wisdom; and is persuaded in like manner that
only in the world below he can worthily enjoy her; still repine at
death? Will he not depart with joy? Surely he will; my friend; if he
be a true philosopher。 For he will have a firm conviction that there
only; and nowhere else; he can find wisdom in her purity。 And if
this be true; he would be very absurd; as I was saying; if he were
to fear death。
He would; indeed; replied Simmias。
And when you see a man who is repining at the approach of death;
is not his reluctance a sufficient proof that he is not a lover of
wisdom; but a lover of the body; and probably at the same time a lover
of either money or power; or both?
That is very true; he replied。
There is a virtue; Simmias; which is named courage。 Is not that a
special attribute of the philosopher?
Certainly。
Again; there is temperance。 Is not the calm; and control; and
disdain of the passions which even the many call temperance; a quality
belonging only to those who despise the body and live in philosophy?
That is not to be denied。
For the courage and temperance of other men; if you will consider
them; are really a contradiction。
How is that; Socrates?
Well; he said; you are aware that death is regarded by men in
general as a great evil。
That is true; he said。
And do not courageous men endure death because they are afraid of
yet greater evils?
That is true。
Then all but the philosophers are courageous only from fear; and
because they are afraid; and yet that a man should be courageous
from fear; and because he is a coward; is surely a strange thing。
Very true。
And are not the temperate exactly in the same case? They are
temperate because they are intemperate…which may seem to be a
contradiction; but is nevertheless the sort of thing which happens
with this foolish temperance。 For there are pleasures which they
must have; and are afraid of losing; and therefore they abstain from
one class of pleasures because they are overcome by another: and
whereas intemperance is defined as 〃being under the dominion of
pleasure;〃 they overcome only because they are overcome by pleasure。
And that is what I mean by saying that they are temperate through
intemperance。
That appears to be true。
Yet the exchange of one fear or pleasure or pain for another fear or
pleasure or pain; which are measured like coins; the greater with
the less; is not the exchange of virtue。 O my dear Simmias; is there
not one true coin for which all things ought to exchange?…and that
is wisdom; and only in exchange for this; and in company with this; is
anything truly bought or sold; whether courage or temperance or
justice。 And is not all true virtue the companion of wisdom; no matter
what fears or pleasures or other similar goods or evils may or may not
attend her? But the virtue which is made up of these goods; when
they are severed from wisdom and exchanged with one another; is a
shadow of virtue only; nor is there any freedom or health or truth
in her; but in the true exchange there is a purging away of all
these things; and temperance; and justice; and courage; and wisdom
herself are a purgation of them。 And I conceive that the founders of
the mysteries had a real meaning and were not mere triflers when
they intimated in a figure long ago that he who passes unsanctified
and uninitiated into the world below will live in a slough; but that
he who arrives there after initiation and purification will dwell with
the gods。 For 〃many;〃 as they say in the mysteries; 〃are the thyrsus
bearers; but few are the mystics;〃…meaning; as I interpret the
words; the true philosophers。 In the number of whom I have been
seeking; according to my ability; to find a place during my whole
life; whether I have sought in a right way or not; and whether I
have succeeded or not; I shall truly know in a little while; if God
will; when I myself arrive in the other world: that is my belief。
And now; Simmias and Cebes; I have answered those who charge me with
not grieving or repining at parting from you and my masters in this
world; and I am right in not repining; for I believe that I shall find
other masters and friends who are as good in the world below。 But
all men cannot believe this; and I shall be glad if my words have
any more success with you than with the judges of the Athenians。
Cebes answered: I agree; Socrates; in the greater part of what you
say。 But in what relates to the soul; men are apt to be incredulous;
they fear that when she leaves the body her place may be nowhere;
and that on the very day of death she may be destroyed and
perish…immediately on her release from the body; issuing forth like
smoke or air and vanishing away into nothingness。 For if she could
only hold together and be herself after she was released from the
evils of the body; there would be good reason to hope; Socrates;
that what you say is true。 But much persuasion and many arguments
are required in order to prove that when the man is dead the soul
yet exists; and has any force of intelligence。
True; Cebes; said Socrates; and shall I suggest that we talk a
little of the probabilities of these things?
I am sure; said Cebes; that I should gready like to know your
opinion about them。
I reckon;