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第13章

alcibiades i-第13章

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ALCIBIADES:  It is。



SOCRATES:  Now the question which I asked was whether you conceive the user

to be always different from that which he uses?



ALCIBIADES:  I do。



SOCRATES:  Then what shall we say of the shoemaker?  Does he cut with his

tools only or with his hands?



ALCIBIADES:  With his hands as well。



SOCRATES:  He uses his hands too?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  And does he use his eyes in cutting leather?



ALCIBIADES:  He does。



SOCRATES:  And we admit that the user is not the same with the things which

he uses?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  Then the shoemaker and the harper are to be distinguished from

the hands and feet which they use?



ALCIBIADES:  Clearly。



SOCRATES:  And does not a man use the whole body?



ALCIBIADES:  Certainly。



SOCRATES:  And that which uses is different from that which is used?



ALCIBIADES:  True。



SOCRATES:  Then a man is not the same as his own body?



ALCIBIADES:  That is the inference。



SOCRATES:  What is he; then?



ALCIBIADES:  I cannot say。



SOCRATES:  Nay; you can say that he is the user of the body。



ALCIBIADES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  And the user of the body is the soul?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes; the soul。



SOCRATES:  And the soul rules?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  Let me make an assertion which will; I think; be universally

admitted。



ALCIBIADES:  What is it?



SOCRATES:  That man is one of three things。



ALCIBIADES:  What are they?



SOCRATES:  Soul; body; or both together forming a whole。



ALCIBIADES:  Certainly。



SOCRATES:  But did we not say that the actual ruling principle of the body

is man?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes; we did。



SOCRATES:  And does the body rule over itself?



ALCIBIADES:  Certainly not。



SOCRATES:  It is subject; as we were saying?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  Then that is not the principle which we are seeking?



ALCIBIADES:  It would seem not。



SOCRATES:  But may we say that the union of the two rules over the body;

and consequently that this is man?



ALCIBIADES:  Very likely。



SOCRATES:  The most unlikely of all things; for if one of the members is

subject; the two united cannot possibly rule。



ALCIBIADES:  True。



SOCRATES:  But since neither the body; nor the union of the two; is man;

either man has no real existence; or the soul is man?



ALCIBIADES:  Just so。



SOCRATES:  Is anything more required to prove that the soul is man?



ALCIBIADES:  Certainly not; the proof is; I think; quite sufficient。



SOCRATES:  And if the proof; although not perfect; be sufficient; we shall

be satisfied;more precise proof will be supplied when we have discovered

that which we were led to omit; from a fear that the enquiry would be too

much protracted。



ALCIBIADES:  What was that?



SOCRATES:  What I meant; when I said that absolute existence must be first

considered; but now; instead of absolute existence; we have been

considering the nature of individual existence; and this may; perhaps; be

sufficient; for surely there is nothing which may be called more properly

ourselves than the soul?



ALCIBIADES:  There is nothing。



SOCRATES:  Then we may truly conceive that you and I are conversing with

one another; soul to soul?



ALCIBIADES:  Very true。



SOCRATES:  And that is just what I was saying beforethat I; Socrates; am

not arguing or talking with the face of Alcibiades; but with the real

Alcibiades; or in other words; with his soul。



ALCIBIADES:  True。



SOCRATES:  Then he who bids a man know himself; would have him know his

soul?



ALCIBIADES:  That appears to be true。



SOCRATES:  He whose knowledge only extends to the body; knows the things of

a man; and not the man himself?



ALCIBIADES:  That is true。



SOCRATES:  Then neither the physician regarded as a physician; nor the

trainer regarded as a trainer; knows himself?



ALCIBIADES:  He does not。



SOCRATES:  The husbandmen and the other craftsmen are very far from knowing

themselves; for they would seem not even to know their own belongings? 

When regarded in relation to the arts which they practise they are even

further removed from self…knowledge; for they only know the belongings of

the body; which minister to the body。



ALCIBIADES:  That is true。



SOCRATES:  Then if temperance is the knowledge of self; in respect of his

art none of them is temperate?



ALCIBIADES:  I agree。



SOCRATES:  And this is the reason why their arts are accounted vulgar; and

are not such as a good man would practise?



ALCIBIADES:  Quite true。



SOCRATES:  Again; he who cherishes his body cherishes not himself; but what

belongs to him?



ALCIBIADES:  That is true。



SOCRATES:  But he who cherishes his money; cherishes neither himself nor

his belongings; but is in a stage yet further removed from himself?



ALCIBIADES:  I agree。



SOCRATES:  Then the money…maker has really ceased to be occupied with his

own concerns?



ALCIBIADES:  True。



SOCRATES:  And if any one has fallen in love with the person of Alcibiades;

he loves not Alcibiades; but the belongings of Alcibiades?



ALCIBIADES:  True。



SOCRATES:  But he who loves your soul is the true lover?



ALCIBIADES:  That is the necessary inference。



SOCRATES:  The lover of the body goes away when the flower of youth fades?



ALCIBIADES:  True。



SOCRATES:  But he who loves the soul goes not away; as long as the soul

follows after virtue?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes。



SOCRATES:  And I am the lover who goes not away; but remains with you; when

you are no longer young and the rest are gone?



ALCIBIADES:  Yes; Socrates; and therein you do well; and I hope that you

will remain。



SOCRATES:  Then you must try to look your best。



ALCIBIADES:  I will。



SOCRATES:  The fact is; that there is only one lover of Alcibiades the son

of Cleinias; there neither is nor ever has been seemingly any other; and he

is his darling;Socrates; the son of Sophroniscus and Phaenarete。



ALCIBIADES:  True。



SOCRATES:  And did you not say; that if I had not spoken first; you were on

the point of coming to me; and enquiring why I only remained?



ALCIBIADES:  That is true。



SOCRATES:  The reason was that I loved you for your own sake; whereas other

men love what belongs to you; and your beauty; which is not you; is fading

away; just as your true self is beginning to bloom。  And I will never

desert you; if you are not spoiled and deformed by the Athenian people; for

the danger which I most fear is that you will become a lover of the people

and will be spoiled by them。  Many a noble Athenian has been ruined in this

way。  For the demus of the great…hearted Erechteus is of a fair

countenance; but you should see him naked; wherefore observe the caution

which I give you。



ALCIBIADES:  What caution?



SOCRATES:  Practise yourself; sweet friend; in learning what you ought to

know; before you enter on politics; and then you will have an antidote

which will keep you out of harm's way。



ALCIBIADES:  Good advice; Socrates; but I wish that you would explain to me

in what way I am to take care of myself。



SOCRATES:  Have we not made an advance? for we are at any rate tolerably

well agreed as to what we are; and there is no longer any danger; as we

once feared; that we might be taking care not of ourselves; but of

something which is not ourselves。



ALCIBIADES:  That is true。



SOCRATES:  And the next step will be to take care of the soul; and look to

that?



ALCIBIADES:  Certainly。



SOCRATES:  Leaving the care of our bodies and of our properties to others?



ALCIBIADES:  Very good。



SOCRATES:  But how can we have a perfect knowledge of the things of the

soul?For if we know them; then I suppose we shall know ourselves。  Can we

really be ignorant of

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