pericles-第2章

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As；　for　instance；　Plato；　the　comic　poet；　introduces　a　character　who
questions　him…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tell　me；　if　you　please；
　　　　　　　　　Since　you're　the　Chiron　who　taught　Pericles。〃

　　Pericles；　also；　was　a　hearer　of　Zeno；　the　Eleatic；　who　treated　of
natural　philosophy　in　the　same　manner　as　Parmenides　did；　but　had
also　perfected　himself　in　an　art　of　his　own　for　refuting　and　silencing
opponents　in　argument；　as　Timon　of　Phlius　describes　it…

　　　　　　　　〃Also　the　two…edged　tongue　of　mighty　Zeno；　who；
　　　　　　　　　Say　what　one　would；　could　argue　it　untrue。〃

　　But　he　that　saw　most　of　Pericles；　and　furnished　him　most
especially　with　a　weight　and　grandeur　of　sense；　superior　to　all　arts
of　popularity；　and　in　general　gave　him　his　elevation　and　sublimity
of　purpose　and　of　character；　was　Anaxagoras　of　Clazomenae；　whom　the
men　of　those　times　called　by　the　name　of　Nous；　that　is；　mind；　or
intelligence；　whether　in　admiration　of　the　great　and　extraordinary
gift　he　had　displayed　for　the　science　of　nature；　or　because　that　he
was　the　first　of　the　philosophers　who　did　not　refer　the　first　ordering
of　the　world　to　fortune　or　chance；　nor　to　necessity　or　compulsion；　but
to　a　pure；　unadulterated　intelligence；　which　in　all　other　existing
mixed　and　compound　things　acts　as　a　principle　of　discrimination；　and
of　combination　of　like　with　like。
　　For　this　man；　Pericles　entertained　an　extraordinary　esteem　and
admiration；　and　filling　himself　with　this　lofty　and；　as　they　call
it；　up…in…the…air　sort　of　thought；　derived　hence　not　merely；　as　was
natural；　elevation　of　purpose　and　dignity　of　language；　raised　far
above　the　base　and　dishonest　buffooneries　of　mob　eloquence；　but；
besides　this；　a　composure　of　countenance；　and　a　serenity　and
calmness　in　all　his　movements；　which　no　occurrence　whilst　he　was
speaking　could　disturb；　a　sustained　and　even　tone　of　voice；　and
various　other　advantages　of　a　similar　kind；　which　produced　the
greatest　effect　on　his　hearers。　Once；　after　being　reviled　and
ill…spoken　of　all　day　long　in　his　own　hearing　by　some　vile　and
abandoned　fellow　in　the　open　market…place；　where　he　was　engaged　in　the
despatch　of　some　urgent　affair。　He　continued　his　business　in　perfect
silence；　and　in　the　evening　returned　home　composedly；　the　man　still
dogging　him　at　the　heels；　and　pelting　him　all　the　way　with　abuse　and
foul　language；　and　stepping　into　his　house；　it　being　by　this　time
dark；　he　ordered　one　of　his　servants　to　take　a　light；　and　to　go
along　with　the　man　and　see　him　safe　home。　Ion；　it　is　true；　the
dramatic　poet；　says　that　Pericles's　manner　in　company　was　somewhat
over…assuming　and　pompous；　and　that　into　his　high…bearing　there
entered　a　good　deal　of　slightingness　and　scorn　of　others；　he
reserves　his　commendation　for　Cimon's　ease　and　pliancy　and　natural
grace　in　society。　Ion；　however；　who　must　needs　make　virtue；　like　a
show　of　tragedies；　include　some　comic　scenes；　we　shall　not
altogether　rely　upon；　Zeno　used　to　bid　those　who　called　Pericles's
gravity　the　affectation　of　a　charlatan；　to　go　and　affect　the　like
themselves；　inasmuch　as　this　mere　counterfeiting　might　in　time
insensibly　instil　into　them　a　real　love　and　knowledge　of　those　noble
qualities。
　　Nor　were　these　the　only　advantages　which　Pericles　derived　from
Anaxagoras's　acquaintance；　he　seems　also　to　have　become；　by　his
instructions；　superior　to　that　superstition　with　which　an　ignorant
wonder　at　appearances；　for　example；　in　the　heavens；　possesses　the
minds　of　people　unacquainted　with　their　causes；　eager　for　the
supernatural；　and　excitable　through　an　inexperience　which　the
knowledge　of　natural　causes　removes；　replacing　wild　and　timid
superstition　by　the　good　hope　and　assurance　of　an　intelligent　piety。
　　There　is　a　story；　that　once　Pericles　had　brought　to　him　from　a
country　farm　of　his　a　ram's　head　with　one　horn；　and　that　Lampon；　the
diviner；　upon　seeing　the　horn　grow　strong　and　solid　out　of　the　midst
of　the　forehead；　gave　it　as　his　judgment；　that；　there　being　at　that
time　two　potent　factions；　parties；　or　interests　in　the　city；　the　one
of　Thucydides　and　the　other　of　Pericles；　the　government　would　come
about　to　that　one　of　them　in　whose　ground　or　estate　this　token　or
indication　of　fate　had　shown　itself。　But　that　Anaxagoras；　cleaving　the
skull　in　sunder；　showed　to　the　bystanders　that　the　brain　had　not
filled　up　its　natural　place；　but　being　oblong；　like　an　egg；　had
collected　from　all　parts　of　the　vessel　which　contained　it　in　a　point
to　that　place　from　whence　the　root　of　the　horn　took　its　rise。　And
that；　for　that　time；　Anaxagoras　was　much　admired　for　his　explanation
by　those　that　were　present；　and　Lampon　no　less　a　little　while　after；
when　Thucydides　was　overpowered；　and　the　whole　affairs　of　the　state
and　government　came　into　the　hands　of　Pericles。
　　And　yet；　in　my　opinion；　it　is　no　absurdity　to　say　that　they　were
both　in　the　right；　both　natural　philosopher　and　diviner；　one　justly
detecting　the　cause　of　this　event；　by　which　it　was　produced；　the　other
the　end　for　which　it　was　designed。　For　it　was　the　business　of　the
one　to　find　out　and　give　an　account　of　what　it　was　made；　and　in　what
manner　and　by　what　means　it　grew　as　it　did；　and　of　the　other　to
foretell　to　what　end　and　purpose　it　was　so　made；　and　what　it　might
mean　or　portend。　Those　who　say　that　to　find　out　the　cause　of　a　prodigy
is　in　effect　to　destroy　its　supposed　signification　as　such；　do　not
take　notice；　that；　at　the　same　time；　together　with　divine　prodigies；
they　also　do　away　with　signs　and　signals　of　human　art　and　concert；　as；
for　instance；　the　clashings　of　quoits；　fire…beacons；　and　the　shadows
of　sun…dials；　every　one　of　which　has　its　cause；　and　by　that　cause
and　contrivance　is　a　sign　of　something　else。　But　these　are　subjects；
perhaps；　that　would　better　befit　another　place。
　　Pericles；　while　yet　but　a　young　man；　stood　in　considerable
apprehension　of　the　people；　as　he　was　thought　in　face　and　figure　to　be
very　like　the　tyrant　Pisistratus；　and　those　of　great　age　remarked　upon
the　sweetness　of　his　voice；　and　his　volubility　and　rapidity　in
speaking；　and　were　struck　with　amazement　at　the　resemblance。
Reflecting；　too；　that　he　had　a　considerable　estate；　and　was
descended　of　a　noble　family；　and　had　friends　of　great　influence；　he
was　fearful　all　this　might　bring　him　to　be　banished　as　a　dangerous
person；　and　for　this　reason　meddled　not　at　all　with　state　affairs；　but
in　military　service　showed　himself　of　a　brave　and　intrepid　nature。　But
when　Aristides　was　now　dead；　and　Themistocles　driven　out；　and　Cimon
was　for　the　most　part　kept　abroad　by　the　expeditions　he　made　in
parts　out　of　Greece；　Pericles；　seeing　things　in　this　posture；　now
advanced　and　took　his　side；　not　with　the　rich　and　few；　but　with　the
many　and　poor；　contrary　to　his　natural　bent；　which　was　far　from
democratical；　but；　most　likely　fearing　he　might　fall　under　suspicion
of　aiming　at　arbitrary　power；　and　seeing　Cimon　on　the　side　of　the
aristocracy；　and　much　beloved　by　the　better　and　more　distinguished
people；　he　joined　the　party　of　the　people；　with　a　view　at　once　both　to
secure　himself　and　procure　means　against　Cimon。
　　He　immediately　entered；　also；　on　quite　a　new　course　of　life　and
management　of　his　time。　For　he　was　never　seen　to　walk　in　any　street
but　that　which　led　to　the　market…place　and　council…hall；　and　he
avoided　invitations　of　friends　to　supper；　and　all　friendly　visiting
and　intercourse　whatever；　in　all　the　time　he　had　to　do　with　the
public；　which　was　not　a　little；　he　was　never　known　to　have　gone　to　any
of　his　friends　to　a　supper；　except　that　once　when　his　near　kinsman
Euryptolemus　married；　he　remained　present　till　the　ceremony　of　the
drink…offering；　and　then　immediately　rose　from　table　and　went　his　way。
For　these　friendly　meetings　are　very　quick　to　defeat　any　assumed
superiority；　and　in　intimate　familiarity　an　exterior　of　gravity　is
hard　to　maintain。　Real　excellence；　indeed；　is　most　recognized　when
most　openly　looked　into；　and　in　really　good　men；　nothing　which　meets
the　eyes　of　external　observers　so　truly　deserves　their　admiration；
as　their　daily　common　life　does　that　of　their　nearer　friends。
Pericles；　however；　to　avoid　any　feeling　of　commonness；　or　any
satiety　on　the　part　of　the　people