cyropaedia-第78章
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are come by unjustly； and all the world knows it； why； there is
nothing to blush for in that： injustice has grown too common among
them； and ill…gotten gain。 ＇19＇ Formerly no Persian was ever to be
seen on foot； but the sole object of the custom was to make them
perfect horsemen。 Now they lay more rugs on their horses' backs than
on their own beds； it is not a firm seat they care for； but a soft
saddle。
＇20＇ As soldiers we may imagine how they have sunk below the ancient
standard； in past times it was a national institution that the land…
owner should furnish troopers from his own estate； and men were bound
to go on active service； while the garrison troops in the country
received regular pay； but now the Persian grandees have manufactured a
new type of cavalry； who earn their pay as butlers and cooks and
confectioners and cupbearers and bathmen and flunkeys to serve at
table or remove the dishes； and serving…men to put their lords to bed
and help them to rise； and perfumers to anoint them and rub them and
make them beautiful。 ＇21＇ In numbers they make a very splendid show；
but they are no use for fighting； as may be seen by what actually
takes place： an enemy can move about their country more freely than
the inhabitants themselves。 ＇22＇ It will be remembered that Cyrus put
a stop to the old style of fighting at long range； and by arming men
and horses with breastplates and giving each trooper a short spear he
taught them to fight at close quarters。 But nowadays they will fight
in neither one style nor the other。 ＇23＇ The infantry still carry the
large shields； the battle…axes； and the swords； as if they meant to do
battle as they did in Cyrus' day。 ＇24＇ But they will never close with
the enemy。 Nor do they use the scythe…bearing chariots as Cyrus
intended。 By the honours he gave he raised the dignity and improved
the quality of his charioteers till he had a body of men who would
charge right into the enemy's ranks； but the generals of to…day；
though they do not even know the charioteers by sight； flatter
themselves that untrained men will serve their purpose quite as well
as trained。 ＇25＇ So the charioteers will dash off； but before they
reach the enemy half the men have fallen from their boxes； and the
others will jump out of their own accord； and the teams； left without
their drivers； will do more harm to their friends than to their foes。
＇26＇ And since in their hearts the Persians of to…day are well aware
what their fighting condition really is； they always give up the
struggle； and now none of them will take the field at all without
Hellenes to help them； whether they are fighting among themselves or
whether Hellenes are in arms against them： even then it is a settled
thing that they must have the aid of other Hellenes to face them。
＇27＇ I venture to think I have shown the truth of the statement that I
made。 I asserted that the Persians of to…day and their allies are less
religious than they were of old； less dutiful to their kindred； less
just and righteous towards other men； and less valiant in war。 And if
any man doubts me； let him examine their actions for himself； and he
will find full confirmation of all I say。
NOTES
C1。 Xenophon puts into the mouth of Chrysantas his favourite theory of
monarchism； the relationship strongly cemented by obedience and trust
between subjects and king。
C1。4； med。 On /willing/ service。 This again is one of the best
utterances in all Xenophon。 It has a deep spiritual import。
C1。4； fin。 He is thinking of Athens； perhaps。 It is a choice： obey the
ruler or knock under to foreign foes。
C1。8。 Surely a remark of the author。 It is an old inveterate thought
of his： 〃the Master's eye。〃 I feel the /old/ man at times。
C1。9…10。 This side of the Persian state…machine strongly impressed the
mind and imagination of Xenophon。 Hence he works it into the treatise
on economy as well as here。 In fact his expansion of the Socratic
reflections into the /Economist/ has to do； I believe； with these
reflections on state economy。
C1。13。 Hellenic aristocratic theory of existence。 Leisure for the
grand duties which devolve on the lords of mankind。 It doesn't seem to
strike Xenophon that this rigid system of self…absorption in the
higher selfhood of the social system might be destructive of
individual life。 Of course he would say； 〃No； it enlarges the
individual life。〃
C1。17…20。 Seems to me to show Xenophon struggling with the hard parts
of the later Persian system。 The theory of Persian feudalism is too
high…strung for these grand satraps； rulers of provinces as big as
ordinary kingdoms。 It tends to snap； and from the beginning did。 The
archic man has no charm to compel his followers to archic virtue。 It
is a negative ｛episteme｝ after all。 Does Xenophon realise this； or is
hgd。 wrong？
C1。21。 Cf。 headmasters with preposters in a public school； based on
the same system of high aims and duties corresponding to rights。
C1。23； init。 Cf。 Louis Napoleon in Browning's poem ＇/Prince
Hohensteil…Schwangau/＇。
C1。23； med。 The Magians； the Persian order of priests。 Yet we have
heard of them throughout。
C1。27。 A very true saying and very nice the feeling it gives us
towards Xenophon。 We think of him with his wife and his little sons
and his friends and their friends。
C1。28。 How true of women！
C1。33。 A reduplication of the description in Bk。 I。； and also a
summing…up of Xenophon's own earthly paradisequite Tennysonian。
C1。37。 An important point or principle in Xenophon's political theory
indeed the key and tone of it： no one has a right to command except
by virtue of personal superiority。
C1。40 foll。 〃How art thou fallen from heaven； O Lucifer； son of the
morning！〃 The section； if； as I think it is； by Xenophon； throws light
on the nature and composition of the book。 The author isn't so
disengaged from 〃history〃 that he can set aside obviously integral
parts of the Persian system traceable to Cyrus； or at any rate
probably original； and their false…seeming and bamboozling mode of
keeping up dignity has to be taken account of。 It has its analogy in
the admission of thaumaturgy on the part of religious teachers； and no
doubt a good deal can be said for it。 The archic man in low spirits；
if he ever is so； has some need of bamboozling himself。 Titles do give
some moral support even nowadays to certain kinds of minds。
C1。46…48。 The archic man's dealings by those of his subjects who are
apt to rule； the men of high thoughts and ambitions； with whom he must
come into constant personal contact。 With them the spiritual dominance
alone will do。 They shall be made to love him rather than themselves。
（The only thing just here that jars is a sort of Machiavellian self…
consciousness； resented in the archic man）。
C1。46。 A cumbrous disjointed sentence； but the thought of it is clear
enough。 Even Xenophon's style breaks down when he tries to say in a
breath more than he naturally can。 Is it a sign of senility； or half…
thought…out ideas； or what？
C2。2； fin。 Does Xenophon feel the bathos of this； or is hdg。 wrong and
there is no bathos？ It may be said that the sacramental and spiritual
side is not in abeyance。 Xenophon has to account for the 〃common
board〃 and he has the Spartan Lycurgan 〃common board〃 to encourage
him； so that imaginatively he provides this royal being with a
sumptuous table at which thousands will share alike。
C2。3。 How far was this a custom among Hellenes？ It reveals a curious
state of society； real or imaginary； but I suppose that at Rome in
imperial days （cf。 /panem et circenses/） the theory of meat and drink
largesses being the best would hold。
C2。4； fin。 The last remark is so silly （？） I am almost disposed to
follow Lincke and admit interpolation。 Yet on the whole I think it is
the voice of the old man explaining in his Vicar…of…Wakefield style；
to his admiring auditors； wife； children； and grandsons； I fancy； and
slaves； the /raison d'être/ of Persian dinner…largesse customs。
C2。6。 Qy。： What was Xenophon's manner of composing？ The style here is
loose； like that of a man talking。 Perhaps he lectured and the
amanuensis took d
