laches-第7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！
mouth； voice； mind；would you not apply the term quickness to all of them？
LACHES： Quite true。
SOCRATES： And suppose I were to be asked by some one： What is that common
quality； Socrates； which； in all these uses of the word； you call
quickness？ I should say the quality which accomplishes much in a little
timewhether in running； speaking； or in any other sort of action。
LACHES： You would be quite correct。
SOCRATES： And now； Laches； do you try and tell me in like manner； What is
that common quality which is called courage； and which includes all the
various uses of the term when applied both to pleasure and pain； and in all
the cases to which I was just now referring？
LACHES： I should say that courage is a sort of endurance of the soul； if I
am to speak of the universal nature which pervades them all。
SOCRATES： But that is what we must do if we are to answer the question。
And yet I cannot say that every kind of endurance is； in my opinion； to be
deemed courage。 Hear my reason： I am sure； Laches； that you would
consider courage to be a very noble quality。
LACHES： Most noble； certainly。
SOCRATES： And you would say that a wise endurance is also good and noble？
LACHES： Very noble。
SOCRATES： But what would you say of a foolish endurance？ Is not that； on
the other hand； to be regarded as evil and hurtful？
LACHES： True。
SOCRATES： And is anything noble which is evil and hurtful？
LACHES： I ought not to say that； Socrates。
SOCRATES： Then you would not admit that sort of endurance to be courage
for it is not noble； but courage is noble？
LACHES： You are right。
SOCRATES： Then； according to you； only the wise endurance is courage？
LACHES： True。
SOCRATES： But as to the epithet 'wise；'wise in what？ In all things
small as well as great？ For example； if a man shows the quality of
endurance in spending his money wisely； knowing that by spending he will
acquire more in the end； do you call him courageous？
LACHES： Assuredly not。
SOCRATES： Or； for example； if a man is a physician； and his son； or some
patient of his； has inflammation of the lungs； and begs that he may be
allowed to eat or drink something； and the other is firm and refuses； is
that courage？
LACHES： No； that is not courage at all； any more than the last。
SOCRATES： Again； take the case of one who endures in war； and is willing
to fight； and wisely calculates and knows that others will help him； and
that there will be fewer and inferior men against him than there are with
him； and suppose that he has also advantages of position； would you say of
such a one who endures with all this wisdom and preparation； that he； or
some man in the opposing army who is in the opposite circumstances to these
and yet endures and remains at his post； is the braver？
LACHES： I should say that the latter； Socrates； was the braver。
SOCRATES： But； surely； this is a foolish endurance in comparison with the
other？
LACHES： That is true。
SOCRATES： Then you would say that he who in an engagement of cavalry
endures； having the knowledge of horsemanship； is not so courageous as he
who endures； having no such knowledge？
LACHES： So I should say。
SOCRATES： And he who endures； having a knowledge of the use of the sling；
or the bow； or of any other art； is not so courageous as he who endures；
not having such a knowledge？
LACHES： True。
SOCRATES： And he who descends into a well； and dives； and holds out in
this or any similar action； having no knowledge of diving； or the like； is；
as you would say； more courageous than those who have this knowledge？
LACHES： Why； Socrates； what else can a man say？
SOCRATES： Nothing； if that be what he thinks。
LACHES： But that is what I do think。
SOCRATES： And yet men who thus run risks and endure are foolish； Laches；
in comparison of those who do the same things； having the skill to do them。
LACHES： That is true。
SOCRATES： But foolish boldness and endurance appeared before to be base
and hurtful to us。
LACHES： Quite true。
SOCRATES： Whereas courage was acknowledged to be a noble quality。
LACHES： True。
SOCRATES： And now on the contrary we are saying that the foolish
endurance； which was before held in dishonour； is courage。
LACHES： Very true。
SOCRATES： And are we right in saying so？
LACHES： Indeed； Socrates； I am sure that we are not right。
SOCRATES： Then according to your statement； you and I； Laches； are not
attuned to the Dorian mode； which is a harmony of words and deeds； for our
deeds are not in accordance with our words。 Any one would say that we had
courage who saw us in action； but not； I imagine； he who heard us talking
about courage just now。
LACHES： That is most true。
SOCRATES： And is this condition of ours satisfactory？
LACHES： Quite the reverse。
SOCRATES： Suppose； however； that we admit the principle of which we are
speaking to a certain extent。
LACHES： To what extent and what principle do you mean？
SOCRATES： The principle of endurance。 We too must endure and persevere in
the enquiry； and then courage will not laugh at our faint…heartedness in
searching for courage； which after all may； very likely； be endurance。
LACHES： I am ready to go on； Socrates； and yet I am unused to
investigations of this sort。 But the spirit of controversy has been
aroused in me by what has been said； and I am really grieved at being thus
unable to express my meaning。 For I fancy that I do know the nature of
courage； but； somehow or other； she has slipped away from me； and I cannot
get hold of her and tell her nature。
SOCRATES： But； my dear friend； should not the good sportsman follow the
track； and not be lazy？
LACHES： Certainly； he should。
SOCRATES： And shall we invite Nicias to join us？ he may be better at the
sport than we are。 What do you say？
LACHES： I should like that。
SOCRATES： Come then； Nicias； and do what you can to help your friends； who
are tossing on the waves of argument； and at the last gasp： you see our
extremity； and may save us and also settle your own opinion； if you will
tell us what you think about courage。
NICIAS： I have been thinking； Socrates； that you and Laches are not
defining courage in the right way； for you have forgotten an excellent
saying which I have heard from your own lips。
SOCRATES： What is it； Nicias？
NICIAS： I have often heard you say that 'Every man is good in that in
which he is wise； and bad in that in which he is unwise。'
SOCRATES： That is certainly true； Nicias。
NICIAS： And therefore if the brave man is good； he is also wise。
SOCRATES： Do you hear him； Laches？
LACHES： Yes； I hear him； but I do not very well understand him。
SOCRATES： I think that I understand him； and he appears to me to mean that
courage is a sort of wisdom。
LACHES： What can he possibly mean； Socrates？
SOCRATES： That is a question which you must ask of himself。
LACHES： Yes。
SOCRATES： Tell him then； Nicias； what you mean by this wisdom； for
