the golden sayings-第10章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



persons；　condemning　this　and　that；　approving　the　other？　Or

suppose　a　man　sneers　and　jeers　or　shows　a　malignant　temper？　Has

any　among　us　the　skill　of　the　lute…player；　who　knows　at　the　first

touch　which　strings　are　out　of　tune　and　sets　the　instrument

right：　has　any　of　you　such　power　as　Socrates　had；　in　all　his

intercourse　with　men；　of　winning　them　over　to　his　own

convictions？　Nay；　but　you　must　needs　be　swayed　hither　and　thither

by　the　uninstructed。　How　comes　it　then　that　they　prove　so　much

stronger　than　you？　Because　they　speak　from　the　fulness　of　the

hearttheir　low；　corrupt　views　are　their　real　convictions：

whereas　your　fine　sentiments　are　but　from　the　lips；　outwards；

that　is　why　they　are　so　nerveless　and　dead。　It　turns　one's

stomach　to　listen　to　your　exhortations；　and　hear　of　your

miserable　Virtue；　that　you　prate　of　up　and　down。　Thus　it　is　that

the　Vulgar　prove　too　strong　for　you。　Everywhere　strength；

everywhere　victory　waits　your　conviction！





C





In　general；　any　methods　of　discipline　applied　to　the　body

which　tend　to　modify　its　desires　or　repulsions；　are　goodfor

ascetic　ends。　But　if　done　for　display；　they　betray　at　once　a　man

who　keeps　an　eye　on　outward　show；　who　has　an　ulterior　purpose；

and　is　looking　for　spectators　to　shout；　〃Oh　what　a　great　man！〃

This　is　why　Apollonius　so　well　said：　〃If　you　are　bent　upon　a

little　private　discipline；　wait　till　you　are　choking　with　heat

some　daythen　take　a　mouthful　of　cold　water；　and　spit　it　out

again；　and　tell　no　man！〃







CI





Study　how　to　give　as　one　that　is　sick：　that　thou　mayest

hereafter　give　as　one　that　is　whole。　Fast；　drink　water　only；

abstain　altogether　from　desire；　that　thou　mayest　hereafter

conform　thy　desire　to　Reason。





CII







Thou　wouldst　do　good　unto　men？　then　show　them　by　thine　own

example　what　kind　of　men　philosophy　can　make；　and　cease　from

foolish　trifling。　Eating；　do　good　to　them　that　eat　with　thee；

drinking；　to　them　that　drink　with　thee；　yield　unto　all；　give　way；

and　bear　with　them。　Thus　shalt　thou　do　them　good：　but　vent　not

upon　them　thine　own　evil　humour！





CIII







Even　as　bad　actors　cannot　sing　alone；　but　only　in　chorus：　so

some　cannot　walk　alone。





Man；　if　thou　art　aught；　strive　to　walk　alone　and　hold

converse　with　thyself；　instead　of　skulking　in　the　chorus！　at

length　think；　look　aroung　thee；　bestir　thyself；　that　thou　mayest

know　who　thou　art！





CIV







You　would　fain　be　victor　at　the　Olympic　games；　you　say。　Yes；

but　weigh　the　conditions；　weigh　the　consequences；　then　and　then

only；　lay　to　your　handif　it　be　for　your　profit。　You　must　live

by　rule；　submit　to　diet；　abstain　from　dainty　meats；　exercise　your

body　perforce　at　stated　hours；　in　heat　or　in　cold；　drink　no　cold

water；　nor；　it　may　be；　wine。　In　a　word；　you　must　surrender

yourself　wholly　to　your　trainer；　as　though　to　a　physician。





Then　in　the　hour　of　contest；　you　will　have　to　delve　the

ground；　it　may　chance　dislocate　an　arm；　sprain　an　ankle；　gulp

down　abundance　of　yellow　sand；　be　scourge　with　the　whipand　with

all　this　sometimes　lose　the　victory。　Count　the　costand　then；　if

your　desire　still　holds；　try　the　wrestler's　life。　Else　let　me

tell　you　that　you　will　be　behaving　like　a　pack　of　children

playing　now　at　wrestlers；　now　at　gladiators；　presently　falling　to

trumpeting　and　anon　to　stageplaying；　when　the　fancy　takes　them

for　what　they　have　seen。　And　you　are　even　the　same：　wrestler；

gladiator；　philosopher；　orator　all　by　turns　and　none　of　them　with

your　whole　soul。　Like　an　ape；　you　mimic　what　you　see；　to　one

thing　constant　never；　the　thing　that　is　familiar　charms　no　more。

This　is　because　you　never　undertook　aught　with　due　consideration；

nor　after　strictly　testing　and　viewing　it　from　every　side；　no；

your　choice　was　thoughtless；　the　glow　of　your　desire　had　waxed

cold　。　。　。　。





Friend；　bethink　you　first　what　it　is　you　would　do；　and　then

what　your　own　nature　is　able　to　bear。　Would　you　be　a　wrestler；

consider　your　shoulders；　your　thighs；　your　lionsnot　all　men　are

formed　to　the　same　end。　Think　you　to　be　a　philosopher　while

acting　as　you　do？　think　you　go　on　thus　eating；　thus　drinking；

giving　way　in　like　manner　to　wrath　and　to　displeasure？　Nay；　you

must　watch；　you　must　labour；　overcome　certain　desires；　quit　your

familiar　friends；　submit　to　be　despised　by　your　slave；　to　be　held

in　derision　by　them　that　meet　you；　to　take　the　lower　place　in　all

things；　in　office；　in　positions　of　authority；　in　courts　of　law。





Weigh　these　things　fully；　and　then；　if　you　will；　lay　to　your

hand；　if　as　the　price　of　these　things　you　would　gain　Freedom；

Tranquillity；　and　passionless　Serenity。





CV





He　that　hath　no　musical　instruction　is　a　child　in　Music；　he

that　hath　no　letters　is　a　child　in　Learning；　he　that　is　untaught

is　a　child　in　Life。





CVI





Can　any　profit　be　derived　from　these　men？　Aye；　from　all。



〃What；　even　from　a　reviler？〃



〃Why；　tell　me　what　profit　a　wrestler　gains　from　him　you

exercises　him　beforehand？　The　very　greatest：　he　trains　me　in　the

practice　of　endurance；　of　controlling　my　temper；　of　gentle　ways。

You　deny　it。　What；　the　man　who　lays　hold　of　my　neck；　and

disciplines　loins　and　shoulders；　does　me　good；　。　。　。　while　he

that　trains　me　to　keep　my　temper　does　me　none？　This　is　what　it

means；　not　knowing　how　to　gain　advantage　from　men！　Is　my

neighbour　bad？　Bad　to　himself；　but　good　to　me：　he　brings　my　good

temper；　my　gentleness　into　play。　Is　my　father　bad？　Bad　to

himself；　but　good　to　me。　This　is　the　rod　of　Hermes；　touch　what

you　will　with　it；　they　say；　and　it　becomes　gold。　Nay；　but　bring

what　you　will　and　I　will　transmute　it　into　Good。　Bring　sickness；

bring　death；　bring　poverty　and　reproach；　bring　trial　for　life

all　these　things　through　the　rod　of　Hermes　shall　be　turned　to

profit。





CVII





Till　then　these　sound　opinions　have　taken　firm　root　in　you；

and　you　have　gained　a　measure　of　strength　for　your　security；　I

counsel　you　to　be　cautious　in　associating　with　the　uninstructed。

Else　whatever　impressions　you　receive　upon　the　tablets　of　your

mind　in　the　School　will　day　by　day　melt　and　disappear；　like　wax

in　the　sun。　Withdraw　then　somewhere　far　from　tge　sun；　while　you

have　these　waxen　sentiments。





CVIII





We　must　approach　this　matter　in　a　different　way；　it　is　great

and　mystical：　it　is　no　common　thing；　nor　given　to　every　man。

Wisdom　alone；　it　may　be；　will　not　suffice　for　the　care　of　youth：

a　man　needs　also　a　certain　measure　of　readinessan　aptitude　for

the　office；　aye；　and　certain　bodily　qualities；　and　above　all；　to

be　counselled　of　God　Himself　to　undertake　this　post；　even　as　He

counselled　Socrates　to　fill　the　post　of　one　who　confutes　error；

assigning　to　Diogenes　the　royal　office　of　high　reproof；　and　to

Zeno　that　of　positive　instruction。　Whereas　you　would　fain　set

up　for　a　physician　provided　with　nothing　but　drugs！　Where　and　how

they　should　be　applied　you　neither　know　nor　care。





CIX





If　what　charms　you　is　nothing　but　abstract　principles；　sit

down　and　turm　them　over　quietly　in　your　mind：　but　never　dub

yourself　a　Philosopher；　nor　suffer　others　to　call　you　so。　Say

rather：　He　is　in　error；　for　my　desires；　my　impulses　are

unaltered。　I　give　in　my　adhesion　to　what　I　did　before；　nor　has　my

mode　of　dealing　with　the　things　of　sense　undergone　any　change。





CX







When　a　friend　inclined　to　Cynic　views　asked　Epictetus；　what

sort　of　person　a　true　Cynic　should　be；　requesting　a　general

sketch　of　the　system；　he　answered：〃We　will　consider　that　at

leisure。　At　present　I　content　myself　with　saying　this　much：　If　a

man　put　his　hand　to　so　weighty　a　matter　without　God；　the　wrath　of

God　abides　upon　him。　That　which　he　covets　will　but　bring　upon　him

public　shame。　Not　even　on　finding　himself　in　a　well…ordered　house

does　a　man　step　forward　and　say　to　himself；　I　must　be　master

here！　Else　the　lord　of　that　ho