ion-第4章

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　　Soc。　But　he　will　know　what　a　spinning…woman　ought　to　say　about　the


working　of　wool？


　　Ion。　No。


　　Soc。　At　any　rate　he　will　know　what　a　general　ought　to　say　when


exhorting　his　soldiers？


　　Ion。　Yes；　that　is　the　sort　of　thing　which　the　rhapsode　will　be


sure　to　know。


　　Soc。　Well；　but　is　the　art　of　the　rhapsode　the　art　of　the　general？


　　Ion。　I　am　sure　that　I　should　know　what　a　general　ought　to　say。


　　Soc。　Why；　yes；　Ion；　because　you　may　possibly　have　a　knowledge　of　the


art　of　the　general　as　well　as　of　the　rhapsode；　and　you　may　also　have　a


knowledge　of　horsemanship　as　well　as　of　the　lyre：　and　then　you　would


know　when　horses　were　well　or　ill　managed。　But　suppose　I　were　to　ask


you：　By　the　help　of　which　art；　Ion；　do　you　know　whether　horses　are


well　managed；　by　your　skill　as　a　horseman　or　as　a　performer　on　the


lyre…　what　would　you　answer？


　　Ion。　I　should　reply；　by　my　skill　as　a　horseman。


　　Soc。　And　if　you　judged　of　performers　on　the　lyre；　you　would　admit


that　you　judged　of　them　as　a　performer　on　the　lyre；　and　not　as　a


horseman？


　　Ion。　Yes。


　　Soc。　And　in　judging　of　the　general's　art；　do　you　judge　of　it　as　a


general　or　a　rhapsode？


　　Ion。　To　me　there　appears　to　be　no　difference　between　them。


　　Soc。　What　do　you　mean？　Do　you　mean　to　say　that　the　art　of　the


rhapsode　and　of　the　general　is　the　same？


　　Ion。　Yes；　one　and　the　same。


　　Soc。　Then　he　who　is　a　good　rhapsode　is　also　a　good　general？


　　Ion。　Certainly；　Socrates。


　　Soc。　And　he　who　is　a　good　general　is　also　a　good　rhapsode？


　　Ion。　No；　I　do　not　say　that。


　　Soc。　But　you　do　say　that　he　who　is　a　good　rhapsode　is　also　a　good


general。


　　Ion。　Certainly。


　　Soc。　And　you　are　the　best　of　Hellenic　rhapsodes？


　　Ion。　Far　the　best；　Socrates。


　　Soc。　And　are　you　the　best　general；　Ion？


　　Ion。　To　be　sure；　Socrates；　and　Homer　was　my　master。


　　Soc。　But　then；　Ion；　what　in　the　name　of　goodness　can　be　the　reason


why　you；　who　are　the　best　of　generals　as　well　as　the　best　of　rhapsodes


in　all　Hellas；　go　about　as　a　rhapsode　when　you　might　be　a　general？


Do　you　think　that　the　Hellenes　want　a　rhapsode　with　his　golden


crown；　and　do　not　want　a　general？


　　Ion。　Why；　Socrates；　the　reason　is；　that　my　countrymen；　the


Ephesians；　are　the　servants　and　soldiers　of　Athens；　and　do　not　need


a　general；　and　you　and　Sparta　are　not　likely　to　have　me；　for　you　think


that　you　have　enough　generals　of　your　own。


　　Soc。　My　good　Ion；　did　you　never　hear　of　Apollodorus　of　Cyzicus？


　　Ion。　Who　may　he　be？


　　Soc。　One　who；　though　a　foreigner；　has　often　been　chosen　their


general　by　the　Athenians：　and　there　is　Phanosthenes　of　Andros；　and


Heraclides　of　Clazomenae；　whom　they　have　also　appointed　to　the　command


of　their　armies　and　to　other　offices；　although　aliens；　after　they


had　shown　their　merit。　And　will　they　not　choose　Ion　the　Ephesian　to　be


their　general；　and　honour　him；　if　he　prove　himself　worthy？　Were　not


the　Ephesians　originally　Athenians；　and　Ephesus　is　no　mean　city？


But；　indeed；　Ion；　if　you　are　correct　in　saying　that　by　art　and


knowledge　you　are　able　to　praise　Homer；　you　do　not　deal　fairly　with


me；　and　after　all　your　professions　of　knowing　many；　glorious　things


about　Homer；　and　promises　that　you　would　exhibit　them；　you　are　only


a　deceiver；　and　so　far　from　exhibiting　the　art　of　which　you　are　a


master；　will　not；　even　after　my　repeated　entreaties；　explain　to　me　the


nature　of　it。　You　have　literally　as　many　forms　as　Proteus；　and　now　you


go　all　manner　of　ways；　twisting　and　turning；　and；　like　Proteus；　become


all　manner　of　people　at　once；　and　at　last　slip　away　from　me　in　the


disguise　of　a　general；　in　order　that　you　may　escape　exhibiting　your


Homeric　lore。　And　if　you　have　art；　then；　as　I　was　saying；　in


falsifying　your　promise　that　you　would　exhibit　Homer；　you　are　not


dealing　fairly　with　me。　But　if；　as　I　believe；　you　have　no　art；　but


speak　all　these　beautiful　words　about　Homer　unconsciously　under　his


inspiring　influence；　then　I　acquit　you　of　dishonesty；　and　shall　only


say　that　you　are　inspired。　Which　do　you　prefer　to　be　thought；


dishonest　or　inspired？


　　Ion。　There　is　a　great　difference；　Socrates；　between　the　two


alternatives；　and　inspiration　is　by　far　the　nobler。


　　Soc。　Then；　Ion；　I　shall　assume　the　nobler　alternative；　and　attribute


to　you　in　your　praises　of　Homer　inspiration；　and　not　art。








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