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第49章

cyropaedia-第49章

小说: cyropaedia 字数: 每页4000字

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studied to make himself and /all others also/ as good as possible。

C2。21。 Notice the practical answer of Cyrus to this panegyric (cf。 J。
P。)。

C2。32。 Prolix; Xenophontic。

C3。6 ff。 Here also I feel the mind of Xenophon shimmering under
various lights。 The /Cyropaedia/ is shot with Orientalism。 Homeric
Epicismantique Hellenism and modern Hellenism are both there。
Spartan simplicity and Eastern quaintness both say their say。 In this
passage the biblical element seems almost audible。

C3。7。 This is in the grand style; Oriental; dilatory; ponderous;
savouring of times when battles were affairs of private arrangement
between monarchs and hedged about by all the punctilios of an affair
of honour。

C3。12。 N。B。The archic man shows a very ready wit and inventiveness
in the great art of 〃grab〃 in war; though as he said to his father he
was 〃a late learner〃 in such matters。 Cf。 in modern times the duties
of a detective or some such disagreeable office。 G。 O。 Trevelyan as
Irish secretary。 Interesting for /war ethics/ in the abstract; and for
Xenophon's view; which is probably Hellenic。 Cyrus now has the
opportunity of carrying out the selfish decalogue; the topsy…turvy
morality set forth in I。 C。6; C。26 ff。

C3。13。 Cf。 Old Testament for the sort of subterfuges and preparations;
e。g。 the Gibeonites。

C3。15。 The archic man has no time。 Cyrus {ou skholazei}。 Cf。 J。 P。 It
comes from energy combined with high gifts of organisation; economic;
architectonic。

C3。19。 Nice; I think; this contrasting of spiritual and natural
productiveness。

C3。32。 Here is the rule of conduct clearly expressed; nor do I see how
a military age could frame for itself any other。 Christianity only
emerged /sub pace Romana/; which for fraternal brotherhood was the
fullness of time; and even in the commercial age the nations tumble
back practically into the old system。

C3。36 ff。 An army on forced march: are there any novelties here?

C3。53。 These minute details probably not boring at the time; but
interesting rather; perhaps useful。

C4。13。 Cyrus resembles Fawcett in his unselfish self…estimate。 Gadatas
is like the British public; or hgd。

C4。16。 Here we feel that the Assyrian is not a mere weakling: he can
play his part well enough if he gets a good chance。 It needs an Archic
and Strategic Man to overpower him。

C4。17。 ANCIENT and MODERN parallelism in treatment of wounded。

C4。24。 Hellenic war ethics: non…combatant tillers of the soil to be
let alone。 Is this a novelty? If not; what is the prototype? Did the
modern rights of non…combatants so originate?

C4。27; fin。 A touch which gives the impression of real history: that
is the art of it。

C4。34。 Almost autobiographical: the advantage of having a country seat
in the neighbourhood of a big town。 Here we feel the MODERNISM of
XENOPHON。 The passage which Stevenson chose for the motto to his
/Silverado Squatters/ would suit Xenophon very well (Cicero; De Off。
I。 xx。)。 Xenophon || Alfred Tennyson。 'Mr。 Dakyns used the geometric
sign || to indicate parallelism of any sort。 The passage from Cicero
might be translated thus: 〃Some have lived in the country; content
with the happiness of home。 These men have enjoyed all that kings
could claim; needing nothing; under the dominion of no man;
untrammelled and in freedom; for the free man lives as he chooses。〃'

C4。36。 The wicked man as conceived in Hellenico…Xenophontine fashion;
charged with the spirit of meanness; envy; and hatred; which cannot
brook the existence of another better than itself。

C4。38。 A nice touch: we learn to know Gadatas and Xenophon also; and
the Hellenic mind。

C5。10。 Pathos well drawn: /vide/ Richard II。 and Bolingbroke。
Euripidean quality。

C5。12。 The archic man has got so far he can play the part of
intercessor between Cyaxares and his Medes。 The discussion involves
the whole difficulty of suppression (〃he must increase; but I must
decrease〃 is one solution; not touched here)。

C5。34。 Perhaps this is the very point which Xenophon; Philosopher;
wishes to bring out; the pseudo…archic man and the archic man
contrasted; but Xenophon; lover of man and artist; draws the situation
admirably and truthfully without any doctrinal purpose。 It is
{anthropinon} human essentially; this jealousy and humiliation of
spirit。

C5。35。 Cyrus' tone of voice and manner must have some compelling charm
in them: the dialectic debate is not pursued; but by a word and look
the archic man wins his way。

C5。36。 Oriental and antique Hellenic; also /modern/; formalities。 I
can imagine some of those crowned heads; emperors of Germany and
Austria; going through similar ceremonies; walking arm…in…arm; kissing
on both cheeks fraternally; etc。

C5。39…40。 This reveals the incorrigible weakness of Cyaxares。 He can
never hold his own against the archic man。 As a matter of philosophic
〃historising;〃 probably Xenophon conceives the Median element as the
corrupting and sapping one in the Persian empire (/vide/ Epilogue);
only he to some extent justifies and excuses Cyrus in his imitations
of it。 That is a difficulty。

C5。41。 The archic man shows self…command again: his energy somewhat
relieves ignobler actors of responsibility and so far saps their
wills。 His up…and…doingness a foil to their indolence。



                               BOOK VI

'C。1' So the day ended; and they supped and went to rest。 But early
the next morning all the allies flocked to Cyaxares' gates; and while
Cyaxares dressed and adorned himself; hearing that a great multitude
were waiting; Cyrus gave audience to the suitors his own friends had
brought。 First came the Cadousians; imploring him to stay; and then
the Hyrcanians; and after them the Sakians; and then some one
presented Gobryas; and Hystaspas brought in Gadatas the eunuch; whose
entreaty was still the same。 '2' At that Cyrus; who knew already that
for many a day Gadatas had been half…dead with fear lest the army
should be disbanded; laughed outright and said; 〃Ah; Gadatas; you
cannot conceal it: you have been bribed by my friend Hystaspas to take
this view。〃

'3' But Gadatas lifted up his hands to heaven and swore most solemnly
that Hystaspas had not influenced him。

〃Nay;〃 said he; 〃it is because I know myself that; if you depart; I am
ruined utterly。 And therefore it was that I took it upon me to speak
with Hystaspas myself; and ask him if he knew what was in your mind
about the disbanding of the army。〃

'4' And Cyrus said; 〃It would be unjust then; I suppose; to lay the
blame on Hystaspas。〃 〃Yes; Cyrus; most unjust;〃 said Hystaspas; 〃for I
only said to Gadatas that it would be impossible for you to carry on
the campaign; as your father wanted you home; and had sent for you。〃

'5' 〃What?〃 cried Cyrus; 〃you dared to let that be known whether I
wished it or not?〃

〃Certainly I did;〃 he answered; 〃for I can see that you are mad to be
home in Persia; the cynosure of every eye; telling your father how you
wrought this and accomplished that。〃

〃Well;〃 said Cyrus; 〃are you not longing to go home yourself?〃

〃No;〃 said the other。 〃I am not。 Nor have I any intention of going:
here I shall stay and be general…in…chief until I make our friend
Gadatas the lord and the Assyrian his slave。〃

'6' Thus half in jest and half in earnest they played with one
another; and meanwhile Cyaxares had finished adorning himself and came
forth in great splendour and solemnity; and sat down on a Median
throne。 And when all were assembled and silence was proclaimed;
Cyaxares said:

〃My friends and allies; perhaps; since I am present and older than
Cyrus; it is suitable that I should address you first。 It appears to
me that the moment has come to discuss one question before all others;
the question whether we ought to go on with the campaign or disband
the army。 Be pleased;〃 he added; 〃to state your opinions on the
matter。〃

'7' Then the leader of the Hyrcanians stood up at once and said:

〃Friends and allies; I hardly think that words are needed when facts
themselves show us the path to take。 All of us know that while we
stand together we give our enemy more trouble than we get: but when we
stood alone it was they who dealt

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