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第9章

laches-第9章

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NICIAS:  Not so; Laches; but do not be alarmed; for I am quite willing to



say of you and also of Lamachus; and of many other Athenians; that you are



courageous and therefore wise。







LACHES:  I could answer that; but I would not have you cast in my teeth



that I am a haughty Aexonian。







SOCRATES:  Do not answer him; Laches; I rather fancy that you are not aware



of the source from which his wisdom is derived。  He has got all this from



my friend Damon; and Damon is always with Prodicus; who; of all the



Sophists; is considered to be the best puller to pieces of words of this



sort。







LACHES:  Yes; Socrates; and the examination of such niceties is a much more



suitable employment for a Sophist than for a great statesman whom the city



chooses to preside over her。







SOCRATES:  Yes; my sweet friend; but a great statesman is likely to have a



great intelligence。  And I think that the view which is implied in Nicias'



definition of courage is worthy of examination。







LACHES:  Then examine for yourself; Socrates。







SOCRATES:  That is what I am going to do; my dear friend。  Do not; however;



suppose I shall let you out of the partnership; for I shall expect you to



apply your mind; and join with me in the consideration of the question。







LACHES:  I will if you think that I ought。







SOCRATES:  Yes; I do; but I must beg of you; Nicias; to begin again。  You



remember that we originally considered courage to be a part of virtue。







NICIAS:  Very true。







SOCRATES:  And you yourself said that it was a part; and there were many



other parts; all of which taken together are called virtue。







NICIAS:  Certainly。







SOCRATES:  Do you agree with me about the parts?  For I say that justice;



temperance; and the like; are all of them parts of virtue as well as



courage。  Would you not say the same?







NICIAS:  Certainly。







SOCRATES:  Well then; so far we are agreed。  And now let us proceed a step;



and try to arrive at a similar agreement about the fearful and the hopeful: 



I do not want you to be thinking one thing and myself another。  Let me then



tell you my own opinion; and if I am wrong you shall set me right:  in my



opinion the terrible and the hopeful are the things which do or do not



create fear; and fear is not of the present; nor of the past; but is of



future and expected evil。  Do you not agree to that; Laches?







LACHES:  Yes; Socrates; entirely。







SOCRATES:  That is my view; Nicias; the terrible things; as I should say;



are the evils which are future; and the hopeful are the good or not evil



things which are future。  Do you or do you not agree with me?







NICIAS:  I agree。







SOCRATES:  And the knowledge of these things you call courage?







NICIAS:  Precisely。







SOCRATES:  And now let me see whether you agree with Laches and myself as



to a third point。







NICIAS:  What is that?







SOCRATES:  I will tell you。  He and I have a notion that there is not one



knowledge or science of the past; another of the present; a third of what



is likely to be best and what will be best in the future; but that of all



three there is one science only:  for example; there is one science of



medicine which is concerned with the inspection of health equally in all



times; present; past; and future; and one science of husbandry in like



manner; which is concerned with the productions of the earth in all times。 



As to the art of the general; you yourselves will be my witnesses that he



has an excellent foreknowledge of the future; and that he claims to be the



master and not the servant of the soothsayer; because he knows better what



is happening or is likely to happen in war:  and accordingly the law places



the soothsayer under the general; and not the general under the soothsayer。 



Am I not correct in saying so; Laches?







LACHES:  Quite correct。







SOCRATES:  And do you; Nicias; also acknowledge that the same science has



understanding of the same things; whether future; present; or past?







NICIAS:  Yes; indeed Socrates; that is my opinion。







SOCRATES:  And courage; my friend; is; as you say; a knowledge of the



fearful and of the hopeful?







NICIAS:  Yes。







SOCRATES:  And the fearful; and the hopeful; are admitted to be future



goods and future evils?







NICIAS:  True。







SOCRATES:  And the same science has to do with the same things in the



future or at any time?







NICIAS:  That is true。







SOCRATES:  Then courage is not the science which is concerned with the



fearful and hopeful; for they are future only; courage; like the other



sciences; is concerned not only with good and evil of the future; but of



the present and past; and of any time?







NICIAS:  That; as I suppose; is true。







SOCRATES:  Then the answer which you have given; Nicias; includes only a



third part of courage; but our question extended to the whole nature of



courage:  and according to your view; that is; according to your present



view; courage is not only the knowledge of the hopeful and the fearful; but



seems to include nearly every good and evil without reference to time。 



What do you say to that alteration in your statement?







NICIAS:  I agree; Socrates。







SOCRATES:  But then; my dear friend; if a man knew all good and evil; and



how they are; and have been; and will be produced; would he not be perfect;



and wanting in no virtue; whether justice; or temperance; or holiness?  He



would possess them all; and he would know which were dangers and which were



not; and guard against them whether they were supernatural or natural; and



he would provide the good; as he would know how to deal both with gods or



men。







NICIAS:  I think; Socrates; that there is a great deal of truth in what you



say。







SOCRATES:  But then; Nicias; courage; according to this new definition of



yours; instead of being a part of virtue only; will be all virtue?







NICIAS:  It would seem so。







SOCRATES:  But we were saying that courage is one of the parts of virtue?







NICIAS:  Yes; that was what we were saying。







SOCRATES:  And that is in contradiction with our present view?







NICIAS:  That appears to be the case。







SOCRATES:  Then; Nicias; we have not discovered what courage is。







NICIAS:  We have not。







LACHES:  And yet; friend Nicias; I imagined that you would have made the



discovery; when you were so contemptuous of the answers which I made to



Socrates。  I had very great hopes that you would have been enlightened by



the wisdom of Damon。







NICIAS:  I perceive; Laches; that you think nothing of having displayed



your ignorance of the nature of courage; but you look only to see whether I



have not made a similar display; and if we are both equally ignorant of the



things which a man who is good for anything should know; that; I suppose;



will be of no consequence。  You certainly appear to me very like the rest



of the world; looking at your neighbour and not at yourself。  I am of



opinion that enough has been said on the subject which we have been



discussing; and if anything has been imperfectly said; that may be



hereafter corrected by the help of Damon; whom you think to laugh down;



although you have never seen him; and with the help of others。  And when I



am satisfied myself; I will freely impart my satisfaction to you; for I



think that you are very much in want of knowle

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