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第6章

philebus-第6章

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to be distinct from them…and may therefore be called a fourth



principle?



  Pro。 So let us call it。



  Soc。 Quite right; but now; having distinguished the four; I think



that we had better refresh our memories by recapitulating each of them



in order。



  Pro。 By all means。



  Soc。 Then the first I will call the infinite or unlimited; and the



second the finite or limited; then follows the third; an essence



compound and generated; and I do not think that I shall be far wrong



in speaking of the cause of mixture and generation as the fourth。



  Pro。 Certainly not。



  Soc。 And now what is the next question; and how came we hither? Were



we not enquiring whether the second place belonged to pleasure or



wisdom?



  Pro。 We were。



  Soc。 And now; having determined these points; shall we not be better



able to decide about the first and second place; which was the



original subject of dispute?



  Pro。 I dare say。



  Soc。 We said; if you remember; that the mixed life of pleasure and



wisdom was the conqueror…did we not?



  Pro。 True。



  Soc。 And we see what is the place and nature of this life and to



what class it is to be assigned?



  Pro。 Beyond a doubt。



  Soc。 This is evidently comprehended in the third or mixed class;



which is not composed of any two particular ingredients; but of all



the elements of infinity; bound down by the finite; and may



therefore be truly said to comprehend the conqueror life。



  Pro。 Most true。



  Soc。 And what shall we say; Philebus; of your life which is all



sweetness; and in which of the aforesaid classes is that to be placed?



Perhaps you will allow me to ask you a question before you answer?



  Phi。 Let me hear。



  Soc。 Have pleasure and pain a limit; or do they belong to the



class which admits of more and less?



  Phi。 They belong to the class which admits of more; Socrates; for



pleasure would not be perfectly good if she were not infinite in



quantity and degree。



  Soc。 Nor would pain; Philebus; be perfectly evil。 And therefore



the infinite cannot be that element which imparts to pleasure some



degree of good。 But now…admitting; if you like; that pleasure is of



the nature of the infinite…in which of the aforesaid classes; O



Protarchus and Philebus; can we without irreverence place wisdom and



knowledge and mind? And let us be careful; for I think that the danger



will be very serious if we err on this point。



  Phi。 You magnify; Socrates; the importance of your favourite god。



  Soc。 And you; my friend; are also magnifying your favourite goddess;



but still I must beg you to answer the question。



  Pro。 Socrates is quite right; Philebus; and we must submit to him。



  Phi。 And did not you; Protarchus; propose to answer in my place?



  Pro。 Certainly I did; but I am now in a great strait; and I must



entreat you; Socrates; to be our spokesman; and then we shall not



say anything wrong or disrespectful of your favourite。



  Soc。 I must obey you; Protarchus; nor is the task which you impose a



difficult one; but did I really; as Philebus implies; disconcert you



with my playful solemnity; when I asked the question to what class



mind and knowledge belong?



  Pro。 You did; indeed; Socrates。



  Soc。 Yet the answer is easy; since all philosophers assert with



one voice that mind is the king of heaven and earth…in reality they



are magnifying themselves。 And perhaps they are right。 But still I



should like to consider the class of mind; if you do not object; a



little more fully。



  Phi。 Take your own course; Socrates; and never mind length; we shall



not tire of you。



  Soc。 Very good; let us begin then; Protarchus; by asking a question。



  Pro。 What question?



  Soc。 Whether all this which they call the universe is left to the



guidance of unreason and chance medley; or; on the contrary; as our



fathers have declared; ordered and governed by a marvellous



intelligence and wisdom。



  Pro。 Wide asunder are the two assertions; illustrious Socrates;



for that which you were just now saying to me appears to be blasphemy;



but the other assertion; that mind orders all things; is worthy of the



aspect of the world; and of the sun; and of the moon; and of the stars



and of the whole circle of the heavens; and never will I say or



think otherwise。



  Soc。 Shall we then agree with them of old time in maintaining this



doctrine…not merely reasserting the notions of others; without risk to



ourselves;…but shall we share in the danger; and take our part of



the reproach which will await us; when an ingenious individual



declares that all is disorder?



  Pro。 That would certainly be my wish。



  Soc。 Then now please to consider the next stage of the argument。



  Pro。 Let me hear。



  Soc。 We see that the elements which enter into the nature of the



bodies of all animals; fire; water; air; and; as the storm…tossed



sailor cries; 〃land〃 'i。e。; earth'; reappear in the constitution of



the world。



  Pro。 The proverb may be applied to us; for truly the storm gathers



over us; and we are at our wit's end。



  Soc。 There is something to be remarked about each of these elements。



  Pro。 What is it?



  Soc。 Only a small fraction of any one of them exists in us; and that



of a mean sort; and not in any way pure; or having any power worthy of



its nature。 One instance will prove this of all of them; there is fire



within us; and in the universe。



  Pro。 True。



  Soc。 And is not our fire small and weak and mean? But the fire in



the universe is wonderful in quantity and beauty; and in every power



that fire has。



  Pro。 Most true。



  Soc。 And is the fire in the universe nourished and generated and



ruled by the fire in us; or is the fire in you and me; and in other



animals; dependent on the universal fire?



  Pro。 That is a question which does not deserve an answer。



  Soc。 Right; and you would say the same; if I am not mistaken; of the



earth which is in animals and the earth which is in the universe;



and you would give a similar reply about all the other elements?



  Pro。 Why; how could any man who gave any other be deemed in his



senses?



  Soc。 I do not think that he could…but now go on to the next step。



When we saw those elements of which we have been speaking gathered



up in one; did we not call them a body?



  Pro。 We did。



  Soc。 And the same may be said of the cosmos; which for the same



reason may be considered to be a body; because made up of the same



elements。



  Pro。 Very true。



  Soc。 But is our body nourished wholly by this body; or is this



body nourished by our body; thence deriving and having the qualities



of which we were just now speaking?



  Pro。 That again; Socrates; is a question which does not deserve to



be asked。



  Soc。 Well; tell me; is this question worth asking?



  Pro。 What question?



  Soc。 May our body be said to have a soul?



  Pro。 Clearly。



  Soc。 And whence comes that soul; my dear Protarchus; unless the body



of the universe; which contains elements like those in our bodies



but in every way fairer; had also a soul? Can there be another source?



  Pro。 Clearly; Socrates; that is the only source。



  Soc。 Why; yes; Protarchus; for surely we cannot imagine that of



the four classes; the finite; the infinite; the composition of the



two; and the cause; the fourth; which enters into all things; giving



to our bodies souls; and the art of self…management; and of healing



disease; and operating in other ways to heal and organize; having



too all the attributes of wisdom;…we cannot; I say; imagine that



whereas the self…same elements exist; both in the entire heaven and in



great provinces of the heaven; only fairer and purer; this last should



not also in that higher sphere have designed the noblest and fairest



things?



  P

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