the golden sayings-第16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！



what　you　give　to　the　soul；　you　keep　for　ever。





CLXXIX





At　meals；　see　to　it　that　those　who　serve　be　not　more　in

number　than　those　who　are　served。　It　is　absurd　for　a　crowd　of

persons　to　be　dancing　attendance　on　half　a　dozen　chairs。





CLXXX





It　is　best　to　share　with　your　attendants　what　is　going

forward；　both　in　the　labour　of　preparation　and　in　the　enjoyment

of　the　feast　itself。　If　such　a　thing　be　difficult　at　the　time；

recollect　that　you　who　are　not　weary　are　being　served　by　those

that　are；　you　who　are　eating　and　drinking　by　those　who　do

neither；　you　who　are　talking　by　those　who　are　silent；　you　who　are

at　ease　by　those　who　are　under　constraint。　Thus　no　sudden　wrath

will　betray　you　into　unreasonable　conduct；　nor　will　you　behave

harshly　by　irritating　another。





CLXXXI





When　Xanthippe　was　chiding　Socrates　for　making　scanty

preparation　for　entertaining　his　friends；　he　answered：〃If　they

are　friends　of　our；　they　will　not　care　for　that；　if　they　are　not；

we　shall　care　nothing　for　them！〃





CLXXXII





Asked；　Who　is　the　rich　man？　Epictetus　replied；　〃He　who　is

content。〃





CLXXXIII





Favorinus　tells　us　how　Epictetus　would　also　say　that　there

were　two　faults　far　graver　and　fouler　than　any　othersinability

to　bear；　and　inability　to　forbear；　when　we　neither　patiently　bear

the　blows　that　must　be　borne；　nor　abstain　from　the　things　and　the

pleasures　we　ought　to　abstain　from。　〃So；〃　he　went　on；　〃if　a　man

will　only　have　these　two　words　at　heart；　and　heed　them　carefully

by　ruling　and　watching　over　himself；　he　will　for　the　most　part

fall　into　no　sin；　and　his　life　will　be　tranquil　and　serene。〃　He

meant　the　words　　　　　　　　　？　　？　　　〃Bear　and　Forbear。〃





CLXXXIV





On　all　occasions　these　thoughts　should　be　at　hand：





Lead　me；　O　God；　and　Thou；　O　Destiny

Be　what　it　may　the　goal　appointed　me；

Bravely　I'll　follow；　nay；　and　if　I　would　not；

I'd　prove　a　coward；　yet　must　follow　still！





Again：



Who　to　Necessity　doth　bow　aright；

Is　learn'd　in　wisdom　and　the　things　of　God。



Once　more：



Crito；　if　this　be　God's　will；　so　let　it　be。　As　for　me；

Anytus　and　Meletus　can　indeed　put　me　to　death；　but　injure　me；

never！





CLXXXV





We　shall　then　be　like　Socrates；　when　we　can　indite　hymns　of

praise　to　the　Gods　in　prison。





CLXXXVI





It　is　hard　to　combine　and　unite　these　two　qualities；　the

carefulness　of　one　who　is　affected　by　circumstances；　and　the

intrepidity　of　one　who　heeds　them　not。　But　it　is　not　impossible：

else　were　happiness　also　impossible。　We　should　act　as　we　do　in

seafaring。



〃What　can　I　do？〃Choose　the　master；　the　crew；　the　day；　the

opportunity。　Then　comes　a　sudden　storm。　What　matters　it　to　me？　my

part　has　been　fully　done。　The　matter　is　in　the　hands　of　another

the　Master　of　the　ship。　The　ship　is　foundering。　What　then　have　I

to　do？　I　do　the　only　thing　that　remains　to　meto　be　drowned

without　fear；　without　a　cry；　without　upbraiding　God；　but　knowing

that　what　has　been　born　must　likewise　perish。　For　I　am　not

Eternity；　but　a　human　beinga　part　of　the　whole；　as　an　hour　is

part　of　the　day。　I　must　come　like　the　hour；　and　like　the　hour

must　pass！





CLXXXVII





And　now　we　are　sending　you　to　Rome　to　spy　out　the　land；　but

none　send　a　coward　as　such　a　spy；　that；　if　he　hear　but　a　noise

and　see　a　shadow　moving　anywhere；　loses　his　wits　and　comes　flying

to　say；　The　enemy　are　upon　us！



So　if　you　go　now；　and　come　and　tell　us：　〃Everything　at　Rome

is　terrible：　Death　is　terrible；　Exile　is　terrible；　Slander　is

terrible；　Want　is　terrible；　fly；　comrades！　the　enemy　are　upon

us！〃　we　shall　reply；　Get　you　gone；　and　prophesy　to　yourself！　we

have　but　erred　in　sending　such　a　spy　as　you。　Diogenes；　who　was

sent　as　a　spy　long　before　you；　brought　us　back　another　report

than　this。　He　says　that　Death　is　no　evil；　for　it　need　not　even

bring　shame　with　it。　He　says　that　Fame　is　but　the　empty　noise　of

madmen。　And　what　report　did　this　spy　bring　us　of　Pain；　what　of

Pleasure；　what　of　Want？　That　to　be　clothed　in　sackcloth　is　better

than　any　purple　robe；　that　sleeping　on　the　bare　ground　is　the

softest　couch；　and　in　proof　of　each　assertion　he　points　to　his

own　courage；　constancy；　and　freedom；　to　his　own　healthy　and

muscular　frame。　〃There　is　no　enemy　near；〃　he　cries；　〃all　is

perfect　peace！〃





CLXXXVIII





If　a　man　has　this　peacenot　the　peace　proclaimed　by　Caesar

（how　indeed　should　he　have　it　to　proclaim？）；　nay；　but　the　peace

proclaimed　by　God　through　reason；　will　not　that　suffice　him　when

alone；　when　he　beholds　and　reflects：Now　can　no　evil　happen　unto

me；　for　me　there　is　no　robber；　for　me　no　earthquake；　all　things

are　full　of　peace；　full　of　tranquillity；　neither　highway　nor　city

nor　gathering　of　men；　neither　neighbor　nor　comrade　can　do　me

hurt。　Another　supplies　my　food；　whose　care　it　is；　another　my

raiment；　another　hath　given　me　perceptions　of　sense　and　primary

conceptions。　And　when　He　supplies　my　necessities　no　more；　it　is

that　He　is　sounding　the　retreat；　that　He　hath　opened　the　door；

and　is　saying　to　thee；　Come！Wither？　To　nought　that　thou　needest

fear；　but　to　the　friendly　kindred　elements　whence　thou　didst

spring。　Whatsoever　of　fire　is　in　thee；　unto　fire　shall　return；

whatsoever　of　earth；　unto　earth；　of　spirit；　unto　spirit；　of

water；　unto　water。　There　is　no　Hades；　no　fabled　rivers　of　Sighs；

of　Lamentation；　or　of　Fire：　but　all　things　are　full　of　Beings

spiritual　and　divine。　With　thoughts　like　these；　beholding　the

Sun；　Moon；　and　Stars；　enjoying　earth　and　sea；　a　man　is　neither

helpless　nor　alone！





CLXXXIX





What　wouldst　thou　be　found　doing　when　overtaken　by　Death？　If

I　might　choose；　I　would　be　found　doing　some　deed　of　true

humanity；　of　wide　import；　beneficent　and　noble。　But　if　I　may　not

be　found　engaged　in　aught　so　lofty；　let　me　hope　at　least　for

thiswhat　none　may　hinder；　what　is　surely　in　my　powerthat　I

may　be　found　raising　up　in　myself　that　which　had　fallen；　learning

to　deal　more　wisely　with　the　things　of　sense；　working　out　my　own

tranquillity；　and　thus　rendering　that　which　is　its　due　to　every

relation　of　life。　。　。　。



If　death　surprise　me　thus　employed；　it　is　enough　if　I　can

stretch　forth　my　hands　to　God　and　say；　〃The　faculties　which　I

received　at　Thy　hands　for　apprehending　this　thine　Administration；

I　have　not　neglected。　As　far　as　in　me　lay；　I　have　done　Thee　no

dishonour。　Behold　how　I　have　used　the　senses；　the　primary

conceptions　which　Thous　gavest　me。　Have　I　ever　laid　anything　to

Thy　charge？　Have　I　ever　murmured　at　aught　that　came　to　pass；　or

wished　it　otherwise？　Have　I　in　anything　transgressed　the

relations　of　life？　For　that　Thou　didst　beget　me；　I　thank　Thee　for

that　Thou　hast　given：　for　the　time　during　which　I　have　used　the

things　that　were　Thine；　it　suffices　me。　Take　them　back　and　place

them　wherever　Thou　wilt！　They　were　all　Thine；　and　Thou　gavest

them　me。〃If　a　man　depart　thus　minded；　is　it　not　enough？　What

life　is　fairer　and　more　noble；　what　end　happier　than　his？













（APPENDIX　A）







FRAGMENTS



Attributed　to　Epictetus







I





A　life　entangled　with　Fortune　is　like　a　torrent。　It　is

turbulent　and　muddy；　hard　to　pass　and　masterful　of　mood：　noisy

and　of　brief　continuance。





II





The　soul　that　companies　with　Virtue　is　like　an　ever…flowing

source。　It　is　a　pure；　clear；　and　wholesome　draught；　sweet；　rich；

and　generous　of　its　store；　that　injures　not；　neither　destroys。





III





It　is　a　shame　that　one　who　sweetens　his　drink　with　the　gifts

of　the　bee；　should　embitter　God's　gift　Reason　with　vice。





IV





Crows　pick　out　the　eyes　of　the　dead；　when　the　dead　have　no

longer　need　of　them；　but　flatterers　mar　the　soul　of　the　living；

and　her　eyes　they　blind。





V





Keep　neither　a　blunt　knife　nor　an　ill…disciplined　looseness

of　tongue。





VI