cyropaedia-第17章

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within　our　ranks　are　men　of　every　kind；　some　better　and　some　worse；
and　yet　if　anything　is　won　every　man　will　claim　an　equal　share。　Now　to
my　mind　nothing　is　more　unfair　than　that　the　base　man　and　the　good
should　be　held　of　equal　account。〃

〃Perhaps　it　would　be　best；　gentlemen；〃　said　Cyrus　in　answer；　〃to　bring
the　matter　before　the　army　in　council　and　put　it　to　them；　whether；　if
God　grant　us　success；　we　should　let　all　share　and　share　alike；　or
distribute　the　rewards　and　honours　in　proportion　to　the　deserts　of
each。〃

＇19＇　〃But　why；〃　asked　Chrysantas；　〃why　discuss　the　point？　Why　not
simply　issue　a　general　order　that　you　intend　to　do　this？　Was　not　that
enough　in　the　case　of　the　competitions？〃

〃Doubtless；〃　Cyrus　answered；　〃but　this　case　is　different。　The　troops；
I　take　it；　will　feel　that　all　they　win　by　their　services　on　the
campaign　should　belong　to　them　in　common：　but　they　hold　that　the
actual　command　of　the　expedition　was　mine　by　right　even　before　we　left
home；　so　that　I　was　fully　entitled；　on　their　view；　to　appoint　umpires
and　judges　at　my　own　will。〃

＇20＇　〃And　do　you　really　expect；〃　asked　Chrysantas；　〃that　the　mass　of
the　army　will　pass　a　resolution　giving　up　the　right　of　all　to　an　equal
share　in　order　that　the　best　men　should　receive　the　most？〃

〃Yes；　I　do；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃partly　because　we　shall　be　there　to　argue
for　that　course；　but　chiefly　because　it　would　seem　too　base　to　deny
that　he　who　works　the　hardest　and　does　most　for　the　common　good
deserves　the　highest　recompense。　Even　the　worst　of　men　must　admit　that
the　brave　should　gain　the　most。〃

＇21＇　It　was；　however；　as　much　for　the　sake　of　the　Peers　themselves　as
for　any　other　reason　that　Cyrus　wished　the　resolution　to　be　passed。
They　would　prove　all　the　better　men；　he　thought；　if　they　too　were　to
be　judged　by　their　deeds　and　rewarded　accordingly。　And　this　was　the
right　moment；　he　felt；　to　raise　the　question　and　put　it　to　the　vote；
now　when　the　Peers　were　disposed　to　resent　being　put　on　a　level　with
the　common　people。　In　the　end　it　was　agreed　by　all　the　company　that
the　question　should　be　raised；　and　that　every　one　who　claimed　to　call
himself　a　man　was　bound　to　argue　in　its　favour。

＇22＇　And　on　that　one　of　the　brigadiers　smiled　to　himself　and　said：　〃I
know　at　least　one　son　of　the　soil　who　will　be　ready　to　agree　that　the
principle　of　share　and　share　alike　should　not　be　followed　everywhere。〃

〃And　who　is　he？〃　another　asked。

〃Well；〃　said　the　first；　〃he　is　a　member　of　our　quarters；　I　can　tell
you　that；　and　he　is　always　hunting　after　the　lion's　share　of　every
single　thing。〃

〃What？　Of　everything？〃　said　a　third。　〃Of　work　as　well？〃　〃Oh；　no！〃　said
the　first；　〃you　have　caught　me　there。　I　was　wrong　to　say　so　much；　I
must　confess。　When　it　comes　to　work；　I　must　admit；　he　is　quite　ready
to　go　short：　he　will　give　up　his　own　share　of　that；　without　a　murmur；
to　any　man　whatever。〃

＇23＇　〃For　my　part；　gentlemen；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃I　hold　that　all　such
idlers　ought　to　be　turned　out　of　the　army；　that　is；　if　we　are　ever　to
cultivate　obedience　and　energy　in　our　men。　The　bulk　of　our　soldiers；　I
take　it；　are　of　the　type　to　follow　a　given　lead：　they　will　seek　after
nobleness　and　valour　if　their　leaders　are　valiant　and　noble；　but　after
baseness　if　these　are　base。　＇24＇　And　we　know　that　only　too　often　the
worthless　will　find　more　friends　than　the　good。　Vice；　passing　lightly
along　her　path　of　pleasure；　wins　the　hearts　of　thousands　with　her
gifts；　but　Virtue；　toiling　up　the　steep　ascent；　has　little　skill　to
snare　the　souls　of　men　and　draw　them　after　her；　when　all　the　while
their　comrades　are　calling　to　them　on　the　easy　downward　way。　＇25＇　It
is　true　there　are　degrees；　and　where　the　evil　springs　only　from　sloth
and　lethargy；　I　look　on　the　creatures　as　mere　drones；　only　injuring
the　hive　by　what　they　cost：　but　there　are　others；　backward　in　toil　and
forward　in　greed；　and　these　are　the　captains　in　villainy：　for　not
seldom　can　they　show　that　rascality　has　its　advantages。　Such　as　they
must　be　removed；　cut　out　from　among　us；　root　and　branch。　＇26＇　And　I
would　not　have　you　fill　their　places　from　our　fellow…citizens　alone；
but；　just　as　you　choose　your　horses　from　the　best　stocks；　wherever　you
find　them；　not　limiting　yourselves　to　the　national　breed；　so　you　have
all　mankind　before　you；　and　you　should　choose　those；　and　those　only；
who　will　increase　your　power　and　add　to　your　honour。　Let　me　clinch　my
argument　by　examples：　no　chariot　can　travel　fast　if　the　horses　in　the
team　are　slow；　or　run　straight　if　they　will　not　be　ruled；　no　house　can
stand　firm　if　the　household　is　evil：　better　empty　walls　than　traitors
who　will　bring　it　to　the　ground。

＇27＇　〃And　be　sure；　my　friends；〃　he　added；　〃the　removal　of　the　bad
means　a　benefit　beyond　the　sheer　relief　that　they　are　taken　away　and
will　trouble　us　no　more：　those　who　are　left　and　were　ripe　for
contagion　are　purified；　and　those　who　were　worthy　will　cleave　to
virtue　all　the　closer　when　they　see　the　dishonour　that　falls　on
wickedness。〃

＇28＇　So　Cyrus　spoke；　and　his　words　won　the　praise　of　all　his　friends；
and　they　set　themselves　to　do　as　he　advised。

But　after　that　Cyrus　began　to　jest　again。　His　eye　fell　on　a　certain
captain　who　had　chosen　for　his　comrade　at　the　feast　a　great　hairy　lad；
a　veritable　monster　of　ugliness；　and　Cyrus　called　to　the　captain　by
name：　〃How　now；　Sambulas？　Have　you　adopted　the　Hellenic　fashion　too？
And　will　you　roam　the　world　together；　you　and　the　lad　who　sits　beside
you；　because　there　is　none　so　fair　as　he？〃　〃By　heaven；〃　answered
Sambulas；　〃you　are　not　far　wrong。　It　is　bliss　to　me　to　feast　my　eyes
upon　him。〃　＇29＇　At　that　all　the　guests　turned　and　looked　on　the　young
man's　face；　but　when　they　saw　how　ugly　it　was；　they　could　not　help
laughing　outright。　〃Heavens；　Sambulas；　tell　us　the　valiant　deed　that
knit　your　souls　together！　How　has　he　drawn　you　to　himself？〃　＇30＇
〃Listen　then；〃　he　answered；　〃and　I　will　tell　you　the　whole　truth。
Every　time　I　call　him；　morning；　noon；　or　night；　he　comes　to　me；　never
yet　has　he　excused　himself；　never　been　too　busy　to　attend；　and　he
comes　at　a　run；　he　does　not　walk。　Whatever　I　have　bidden　him　do；　he
has　always　done　it；　and　at　the　top　of　his　speed。　He　has　made　all　the
petty　captains　under　him　the　very　models　of　industry；　he　shows　them；
not　by　word　but　deed；　what　they　ought　to　be。〃　＇31＇　〃And　so；〃　said
another；　〃for　all　these　virtues　you　give　him；　I　take　it；　the　kiss　of
kinship？〃　But　the　ugly　lad　broke　out：　〃Not　he！　He　has　no　great　love
for　work。　And　to　kiss　me；　if　it　came　to　that；　would　mean　more　effort
than　all　his　exercises。〃

＇C。3＇　So　the　hours　passed　in　the　general's　tent；　from　grave　to　gay；
until　at　last　the　third　libation　was　poured　out；　and　the　company　bent
in　prayer　to　the　gods〃Grant　us　all　that　is　good〃and　so　broke　up；
and　went　away　to　sleep。

But　the　next　day　Cyrus　assembled　the　soldiers　in　full　conclave；　and
spoke　to　them：　＇2＇　〃My　men；〃　he　said；　〃my　friends；　the　day　of　struggle
is　at　hand；　and　the　enemy　are　near。　The　prizes　of　victory；　if　victory
is　to　be　oursand　we　must　believe　it　will　be　ours；　we　must　make　it
oursthe　prizes　of　victory　will　be　nothing　short　of　the　enemy　himself
and　all　that　he　possesses。　And　if　the　victory　should　be　his；　then；　in
like　manner；　all　the　goods　of　the　vanquished　must　lie　at　the　victor's
feet。　＇3＇　Therefore　I　would　have　you　take　this　to　your　hearts：
wherever　those　who　have　joined　together　for　war　remember　that　unless
each　and　every　one　of　them　play　his　part　with　zeal　nothing　good　can
follow；　there　we　may　look　for　glorious　success。　For　there　nothing　that
ought　to　be　done　will　be　left　undone。　But　if　each　man　thinks　'My
neighbour　will　toil　and　fight；　even　though　my　own　heart　should　fail
and　my　own　arm　fall　slack；'　then；　believe　me；　disaster　is　at　the　door
for　each　and　all　alike；　and　no　man　shall　escape。　＇4＇　Such　is　the
ordinance　of　God：　those　who　will　not　work　out　their　own　salvation　he
gives　into　the　hands　of　other　men　to　bear　rule　over　them。　And　now　I
call　on　any　man　here；〃　he　added；　〃to　stand　up　and　say　whether　he
believes　that　virtue　will　best　be　nourished　among　us　if　he　who　bears
the　greatest　toil　and　takes　the　heaviest　risk　shall　receive　the
highest　honours。