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第10章

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be taken。 But Agesilaus was a lover of toil; and therefore not so



dainty; the meanest beverage was sweet to his lips; and pleasant



enough to his taste was the chance fare of the moment; and for the



purpose of refreshing slumber every place alike conducive。 It was not



merely that to fare thus gave him pure pleasure; but in the sense of



contrast lay a double satisfaction。 Here was he roaming earth freely



in the midst of a world of delight;'6' and there lay the Persian;



under his eyes; who to escape a life of pain must drag together from



the uttermost parts of earth the separate ingredients for his



pleasure。 It was another source of joy that to himself it was given to



confront the appointed order of the universe'7' without pain; while



through weakness of soul his rival; it was plain to see; was driven to



flee away from heat and cold; and to shape his life; not by the



pattern of brave men; but of some mean and defenceless animal。'8'







'5' See Herod。 i。 135; for the luxury of the Persians and for the



    refinements of civilisation。 See 〃Mem。〃 II。 i。 10; 〃Cyrop。〃 VIII。



    i。 40。







'6' Or; 〃in a round of festivity。〃







'7' See Plut。 〃Ages。〃 xiv。 (Clough; iv。 p。 17); 〃Apophth。 Lac。〃 p。



    102; Eur。 〃Supp。〃 214; 215。







{de ou truphomen; theou kataskeuen bio



dontos toiauten; oisin ouk arkei tade};







'8' Or; 〃the most defenceless of God's creatures。〃 Lit。 〃the weakest



    of animals。〃







And what a fine trait this was in him; and betokening how lofty a



sentiment; that; being content to adorn his own house with works and



possessions suited to a man; and being devoted to the breeding of dogs



and horses in large numbers for the chase and warfare; he persuaded



his sister Cynisca to rear chariot horses;'9' and thus by her



victory'10' showed that to keep a stud of that sort; however much it



might be a mark of wealth; was hardly a proof of manly virtue。 And



surely in the following opinion we may discern plainly the generosity



of him who entertained it。 To win victories over private persons in a



chariot race does not add one tittle to a man's renown。 He; rather;



who holds his city dear beyond all things else; who has himself sunk



deep into the heart of her affections; who has obtained to himself all



over the world a host of friends and those the noblest; who can outdo



his country and comrades alike in the race of kindliness; and his



antagonists in vengeancesuch a man may; in a true sense; be said to



bear away the palm of victory in conquests noble and magnificent;



living and in death to him belongs transcendent fame。







'9' I。e。 〃for the games。〃







'10' I。e。 〃at Olympia。〃 Cynisca; according to Pausanias (iii。 8); was



    the first woman who won a prize at Olympia。 See also Plut。 〃Ages。〃



    xx。 (Clough; iv。 p。 23)。



















X







It is as possessiong qualities such as these that I praise Agesilaus。



And in these matters he was not like a man who chances upon a treasure



and thereby becomes wealthier; albeit none the more skilful in



economy; nor yet like him who; when a plague has fallen upon an enemy;



wrests a victory; whereby he may add to his reputation for success;



but not for strategy。 Rather was his example that of one who in each



emergency will take the lead; at a crisis where toil is needful; by



endurance; or in the battle…lists of bravery by prowess; or when the



function of the counsellor is uppermost; by the soundness of his



judgment。 Of such a man I say; he has obtained by warrant indefeasible



the title peerless。







And if; as a means towards good workmanship; we count among the noble



inventions of mankind the rule and the plummet;'1' no less happily



shall we; who desire to attain a manly excellence; find in the virtue



of Agesilaus a pattern and example。 He was God…fearing; he was just in



all his dealings; sound of soul and self…controlled。 How then shall we



who imitate him become his opposite; unholy; unjust; tyrannical;



licentious? And; truth to say; this man prided himself; not so much on



being a king over others as on ruling himself;'2' not so much on



leading his citizens to attack the enemy as on guiding them to embrace



all virtue。







'1' See Aeschin。 〃c。 Ctes。〃 p。 52; 25; Plat。 〃Phileb。〃 56 B。







'2' See Plut。 〃Apophth。 Lac。〃 p。 104。







Yet let it not be supposed; because he whom we praise has finished



life; that our discourse must therefore be regarded as a funeral



hymn。'3' Far rather let it be named a hymn of praise; since in the



first place it is only the repetition; now that he is dead; of a tale



familiar to his ears when living。 And in the next place; what is more



remote from dirge and lamentation than a life of glory crowned by



seasonable death? What more deserving of song and eulogy than



resplendent victories and deeds of highest note? Surely if one man



rather than another may be accounted truly blest; it is he who; from



his boyhood upwards; thirsted for glory; and beyond all contemporary



names won what he desired; who; being gifted with a nature most



emulous of honour; remained from the moment he was king unconquered;



who attained the fullest term of mortal life and died without



offence'4' committed; whether as concerning those at whose head he



marched; or as towards those others against whom he fought in war。







'3' See Symonds' 〃Greek Poets;〃 ch。 v。







'4' As to the word {anamartetos} so translated; see Breitenbach; Exc。



    ad x。 4 of his edition。



















XI







It only remains for me; under the form of headings;'1' to review the



topic of this great man's virtue; in hopes that thus his eulogy may



cling to the memory more lastingly。







'1' Or; as others think; 〃in a summary。〃







Agesilaus reverenced the shrines and sacred places even of the enemy。



We ought; he said; to make the gods our allies on hostile no less than



on friendly soil。







He would do no violence to a suppliant; no; not even if he were his



own foe; since how irrational must it be to stigmatise robbers of



temples as sacrilegious and yet to regard him who tears the suppliant



from the altar as a pious person。







One tenet he never wearied of repeating: the gods; he said; are not



less pleased with holy deeds than with pure victims。







In the day of his prosperity his thoughts were not raised higher than



befits a man; he gave thanks to the gods; and offered more victims



when he had nothing to fear than he registered vows in time of



apprehension。







He was accustomed in the midst of anxiety to wear an aspect of gaiety;



but; when the victory was won; of gentleness。







Amongst friends his warmest greeting was reserved; not for the most



powerful; but for the most ardent; and if he hated; it was not him



who; being evil entreated; retaliated; but one who; having had



kindness done to him; seemed incapable of gratitude。







He rejoiced when sordid greed was rewarded with poverty; and still



more if he might himself enrich a righteous man; since his wish was to



render uprightness more profitable than iniquity。







He made it a practice to associate with all kinds of people; but to be



intimate only with the best。







As he listened to the praise of this man; or the censure of another;



he felt that he learnt quite as much about the character of the



speakers themselves as of those whom they discussed。







To be cheated by a friend was scarcely censurable; but he could find




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