cyropaedia-第11章

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much　towards　training　his　men　in　the　various　branches　of　war。　Let　him
propose　competitions　of　every　kind　and　offer　prizes；　the　standard　of
skill　will　rise；　and　he　will　soon　have　a　body　of　troops　ready　to　his
hand　for　any　service　he　requires。〃　〃Nothing　could　be　better；〃　answered
the　father。　〃Do　this；　and　you　may　be　sure　you　will　watch　your
regiments　at　their　man？uvres　with　as　much　delight　as　if　they　were　a
chorus　in　the　dance。〃

＇19＇　〃And　then；〃　continued　Cyrus；　〃to　rouse　enthusiasm　in　the　men；
there　can　be　nothing；　I　take　it；　like　the　power　of　kindling　hope？〃
〃True；〃　answered　his　father；　〃but　that　alone　would　be　as　though　a
huntsman　were　for　ever　rousing　his　pack　with　the　view…halloo。　At
first；　of　course；　the　hounds　will　answer　eagerly　enough；　but　after
they　have　been　cheated　once　or　twice　they　will　end　by　refusing　the
call　even　when　the　quarry　is　really　in　sight。　And　so　it　is　with　hope。
Let　a　man　rouse　false　expectations　often　enough；　and　in　the　end；　even
when　hope　is　at　the　door；　he　may　cry　the　good　news　in　vain。　Rather
ought　he　to　refrain　from　speaking　positively　himself　when　he　cannot
know　precisely；　his　agents　may　step　in　and　do　it　in　his　place；　but　he
should　reserve　his　own　appeal　for　the　supreme　crises　of　supreme
danger；　and　not　dissipate　his　credit。〃

〃By　heaven；　a　most　admirable　suggestion！〃　cried　Cyrus；　〃and　one　much
more　to　my　mind！　＇20＇　As　for　enforcing　obedience；　I　hope　I　have　had
some　training　in　that　already；　you　began　my　education　yourself　when　I
was　a　child　by　teaching　me　to　obey　you；　and　then　you　handed　me　over　to
masters　who　did　as　you　had　done；　and　afterwards；　when　we　were　lads；　my
fellows　and　myself；　there　was　nothing　on　which　the　governors　laid　more
stress。　Our　laws　themselves；　I　think；　enforce　this　double　lesson：
'Rule　thou　and　be　thou　ruled。'　And　when　I　come　to　study　the　secret　of
it　all；　I　seem　to　see　that　the　real　incentive　to　obedience　lies　in　the
praise　and　honour　that　it　wins　against　the　discredit　and　the
chastisement　which　fall　on　the　disobedient。〃　＇21＇　〃That；　my　son；〃　said
the　father；　〃is　the　road　to　the　obedience　of　compulsion。　But　there　is
a　shorter　way　to　a　nobler　goal；　the　obedience　of　the　will。　When　the
interests　of　mankind　are　at　stake；　they　will　obey　with　joy　the　man
whom　they　believe　to　be　wiser　than　themselves。　You　may　prove　this　on
all　sides：　you　may　see　how　the　sick　man　will　beg　the　doctor　to　tell
him　what　he　ought　to　do；　how　a　whole　ship's　company　will　listen　to　the
pilot；　how　travellers　will　cling　to　the　one　who　knows　the　way　better；
as　they　believe；　than　they　do　themselves。　But　if　men　think　that
obedience　will　lead　them　to　disaster；　then　nothing；　neither　penalties；
nor　persuasion；　nor　gifts；　will　avail　to　rouse　them。　For　no　man
accepts　a　bribe　to　his　own　destruction。〃　＇22＇　〃You　would　have　me
understand；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　the　best　way　to　secure　obedience　is　to
be　thought　wiser　than　those　we　rule？〃　〃Yes；〃　said　Cambyses；　〃that　is
my　belief。〃

〃And　what　is　the　quickest　way；〃　asked　Cyrus；　〃to　win　that　reputation？〃

〃None　quicker；　my　lad；　than　this：　wherever　you　wish　to　seem　wise；　be
wise。　Examine　as　many　cases　as　you　like；　and　you　will　find　that　what　I
say　is　true。　If　you　wished　to　be　thought　a　good　farmer；　a　good
horseman；　a　good　physician；　a　good　flute…player；　or　anything　else
whatever；　without　really　being　so；　just　imagine　what　a　world　of
devices　you　would　need　to　invent；　merely　to　keep　up　the　outward　show！
And　suppose　you　did　get　a　following　to　praise　you　and　cry　you　up；
suppose　you　did　burden　yourself　with　all　kinds　of　paraphernalia　for
your　profession；　what　would　come　of　it　all？　You　succeed　at　first　in　a
very　pretty　piece　of　deception；　and　then　by　and　by　the　test　comes；　and
the　impostor　stands　revealed。〃

＇23＇　〃But；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃how　can　a　man　really　and　truly　attain　to　the
wisdom　that　will　serve　his　turn？〃

〃Well；　my　son；　it　is　plain　that　where　learning　is　the　road　to　wisdom；
learn　you　must；　as　you　learnt　your　battalion…drill；　but　when　it　comes
to　matters　which　are　not　to　be　learnt　by　mortal　men；　nor　foreseen　by
mortal　minds；　there　you　can　only　become　wiser　than　others　by
communicating　with　the　gods　through　the　art　of　divination。　But；
always；　wherever　you　know　that　a　thing　ought　to　be　done；　see　that　it
is　done；　and　done　with　care；　for　care；　not　carelessness；　is　the　mark
of　the　wise　man。〃

＇24＇　〃And　now；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃to　win　the　affection　of　those　we　rule
and　there　is　nothing；　I　take　it；　of　greater　importancesurely　the
path　to　follow　lies　open　to　all　who　desire　the　love　of　their　friends。
We　must；　I　mean；　show　that　we　do　them　good。〃　〃Yes；　my　child；　but　to　do
good　really　at　all　seasons　to　those　we　wish　to　help　is　not　always
possible：　only　one　way　is　ever　open；　and　that　is　the　way　of　sympathy；
to　rejoice　with　the　happy　in　the　day　of　good　things；　to　share　their
sorrow　when　ill　befalls　them；　to　lend　a　hand　in　all　their
difficulties；　to　fear　disaster　for　them；　and　guard　against　it　by
foresightthese；　rather　than　actual　benefits；　are　the　true　signs　of
comradeship。　＇25＇　And　so　in　war；　if　the　campaign　is　in　summer　the
general　must　show　himself　greedy　for　his　share　of　the　sun　and　the
heat；　and　in　winter　for　the　cold　and　the　frost；　and　in　all　labours　for
toil　and　fatigue。　This　will　help　to　make　him　beloved　of　his
followers。〃　〃You　mean；　father；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　a　commander　should
always　be　stouter…hearted　in　everything　than　those　whom　he　commands。〃
〃Yes；　my　son；　that　is　my　meaning；〃　said　he；　〃only　be　well　assured　of
this：　the　princely　leader　and　the　private　soldier　may　be　alike　in
body；　but　their　sufferings　are　not　the　same：　the　pains　of　the　leader
are　always　lightened　by　the　glory　that　is　his　and　by　the　very
consciousness　that　all　his　acts　are　done　in　the　public　eye。〃

＇26＇　〃But　now；　father；　suppose　the　time　has　come；　and　you　are
satisfied　that　your　troops　are　well　supplied；　sound　in　wind　and　limb；
well　able　to　endure　fatigue；　skilled　in　the　arts　of　war；　covetous　of
honour；　eager　to　show　their　mettle；　anxious　to　follow；　would　you　not
think　it　well　to　try　the　chance　of　battle　without　delay？〃　〃By　all
means；〃　said　the　father；　〃if　you　are　likely　to　gain　by　the　move：　but
if　not；　for　my　own　part；　the　more　I　felt　persuaded　of　my　own
superiority　and　the　power　of　my　troops；　the　more　I　should　be　inclined
to　stand　on　my　guard；　just　as　we　put　our　greatest　treasures　in　the
safest　place　we　have。〃　＇27＇　〃But　how　can　a　man　make　sure　that　he　will
gain？〃　〃Ah；　there　you　come；〃　said　the　father；　〃to　a　most　weighty
matter。　This　is　no　easy　task；　I　can　tell　you。　If　your　general　is　to
succeed　he　must　prove　himself　an　arch…plotter；　a　king　of　craft；　full
of　deceits　and　stratagems；　a　cheat；　a　thief；　and　a　robber；　defrauding
and　overreaching　his　opponent　at　every　turn。〃

〃Heavens！〃　said　Cyrus；　and　burst　out　laughing；　〃is　this　the　kind　of
man　you　want　your　son　to　be！〃　〃I　want　him　to　be；〃　said　the　father；　〃as
just　and　upright　and　law…abiding　as　any　man　who　ever　lived。〃　＇28＇　〃But
how　comes　it；〃　said　his　son；　〃that　the　lessons　you　taught　us　in
boyhood　and　youth　were　exactly　opposed　to　what　you　teach　me　now？〃
〃Ah；〃　said　the　father；　〃those　lessons　were　for　friends　and　fellow…
citizens；　and　for　them　they　still　hold　good；　but　for　your　enemiesdo
you　not　remember　that　you　were　also　taught　to　do　much　harm？〃

〃No；　father；〃　he　answered；　〃I　should　say　certainly　not。〃

〃Then　why　were　you　taught　to　shoot？　Or　to　hurl　the　javelin？　Or　to　trap
wild…boars？　Or　to　snare　stags　with　cords　and　caltrops？　And　why　did　you
never　meet　the　lion　or　the　bear　or　the　leopard　in　fair　fight　on　equal
terms；　but　were　always　trying　to　steal　some　advantage　over　them？　Can
you　deny　that　all　that　was　craft　and　deceit　and　fraud　and　greed？〃

＇29＇　〃Why；　of　course；〃　answered　the　young　man；　〃in　dealing　with
animals；　but　with　human　beings　it　was　different；　if　I　was　ever
suspected　of　a　wish　to　cheat　another；　I　was　punished；　I　know；　with
many　stripes。〃

〃True；〃　said　the　father；　〃and　for　the　matter　of　that　we　did　not　permit
you　to　draw　bow　or　hurl　javelin　against　human　beings；　we　taught　you
merely　to　aim　at　a　mark。　But　why　did　we　teach　you　that？　Not　so　that
you　might　injure　your　friends；　either　then　or　now；　but　that　in　war　you
might　have　the　ski