euthydemus-第5章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


old　age；　last　year；　or　the　year　before；　they　had　none　of　their　new　wisdom。　　I　am　only　apprehensive　that　I　may　bring　the　two　strangers　into　disrepute；　as　I　have　done　Connus　the　son　of　Metrobius；　the　harp…player；　who　is　still　my　music…master；　for　when　the　boys　who　go　to　him　see　me　going　with　them；　they　laugh　at　me　and　call　him　grandpapa's　master。　　Now　I　should　not　like　the　strangers　to　experience　similar　treatment；　the　fear　of　ridicule　may　make　them　unwilling　to　receive　me；　and　therefore；　Crito；　I　shall　try　and　persuade　some　old　men　to　accompany　me　to　them；　as　I　persuaded　them　to　go　with　me　to　Connus；　and　I　hope　that　you　will　make　one：　　and　perhaps　we　had　better　take　your　sons　as　a　bait；　they　will　want　to　have　them　as　pupils；　and　for　the　sake　of　them　willing　to　receive　us。

CRITO：　　I　see　no　objection；　Socrates；　if　you　like；　but　first　I　wish　that　you　would　give　me　a　description　of　their　wisdom；　that　I　may　know　beforehand　what　we　are　going　to　learn。

SOCRATES：　　In　less　than　no　time　you　shall　hear；　for　I　cannot　say　that　I　did　not　attendI　paid　great　attention　to　them；　and　I　remember　and　will　endeavour　to　repeat　the　whole　story。　　Providentially　I　was　sitting　alone　in　the　dressing…room　of　the　Lyceum　where　you　saw　me；　and　was　about　to　depart；　when　I　was　getting　up　I　recognized　the　familiar　divine　sign：　　so　I　sat　down　again；　and　in　a　little　while　the　two　brothers　Euthydemus　and　Dionysodorus　came　in；　and　several　others　with　them；　whom　I　believe　to　be　their　disciples；　and　they　walked　about　in　the　covered　court；　they　had　not　taken　more　than　two　or　three　turns　when　Cleinias　entered；　who；　as　you　truly　say；　is　very　much　improved：　　he　was　followed　by　a　host　of　lovers；　one　of　whom　was　Ctesippus　the　Paeanian；　a　well…bred　youth；　but　also　having　the　wildness　of　youth。　　Cleinias　saw　me　from　the　entrance　as　I　was　sitting　alone；　and　at　once　came　and　sat　down　on　the　right　hand　of　me；　as　you　describe；　and　Dionysodorus　and　Euthydemus；　when　they　saw　him；　at　first　stopped　and　talked　with　one　another；　now　and　then　glancing　at　us；　for　I　particularly　watched　them；　and　then　Euthydemus　came　and　sat　down　by　the　youth；　and　the　other　by　me　on　the　left　hand；　the　rest　anywhere。　　I　saluted　the　brothers；　whom　I　had　not　seen　for　a　long　time；　and　then　I　said　to　Cleinias：　　Here　are　two　wise　men；　Euthydemus　and　Dionysodorus；　Cleinias；　wise　not　in　a　small　but　in　a　large　way　of　wisdom；　for　they　know　all　about　war；all　that　a　good　general　ought　to　know　about　the　array　and　command　of　an　army；　and　the　whole　art　of　fighting　in　armour：　　and　they　know　about　law　too；　and　can　teach　a　man　how　to　use　the　weapons　of　the　courts　when　he　is　injured。

They　heard　me　say　this；　but　only　despised　me。　　I　observed　that　they　looked　at　one　another；　and　both　of　them　laughed；　and　then　Euthydemus　said：　　Those；　Socrates；　are　matters　which　we　no　longer　pursue　seriously；　to　us　they　are　secondary　occupations。

Indeed；　I　said；　if　such　occupations　are　regarded　by　you　as　secondary；　what　must　the　principal　one　be；　tell　me；　I　beseech　you；　what　that　noble　study　is？

The　teaching　of　virtue；　Socrates；　he　replied；　is　our　principal　occupation；　and　we　believe　that　we　can　impart　it　better　and　quicker　than　any　man。

My　God！　I　said；　and　where　did　you　learn　that？　　I　always　thought；　as　I　was　saying　just　now；　that　your　chief　accomplishment　was　the　art　of　fighting　in　armour；　and　I　used　to　say　as　much　of　you；　for　I　remember　that　you　professed　this　when　you　were　here　before。　　But　now　if　you　really　have　the　other　knowledge；　O　forgive　me：　　I　address　you　as　I　would　superior　beings；　and　ask　you　to　pardon　the　impiety　of　my　former　expressions。　　But　are　you　quite　sure　about　this；　Dionysodorus　and　Euthydemus？　the　promise　is　so　vast；　that　a　feeling　of　incredulity　steals　over　me。

You　may　take　our　word；　Socrates；　for　the　fact。

Then　I　think　you　happier　in　having　such　a　treasure　than　the　great　king　is　in　the　possession　of　his　kingdom。　　And　please　to　tell　me　whether　you　intend　to　exhibit　your　wisdom；　or　what　will　you　do？

That　is　why　we　have　come　hither；　Socrates；　and　our　purpose　is　not　only　to　exhibit；　but　also　to　teach　any　one　who　likes　to　learn。

But　I　can　promise　you；　I　said；　that　every　unvirtuous　person　will　want　to　learn。　　I　shall　be　the　first；　and　there　is　the　youth　Cleinias；　and　Ctesippus：　　and　here　are　several　others；　I　said；　pointing　to　the　lovers　of　Cleinias；　who　were　beginning　to　gather　round　us。　　Now　Ctesippus　was　sitting　at　some　distance　from　Cleinias；　and　when　Euthydemus　leaned　forward　in　talking　with　me；　he　was　prevented　from　seeing　Cleinias；　who　was　between　us；　and　so；　partly　because　he　wanted　to　look　at　his　love；　and　also　because　he　was　interested；　he　jumped　up　and　stood　opposite　to　us：　　and　all　the　other　admirers　of　Cleinias；　as　well　as　the　disciples　of　Euthydemus　and　Dionysodorus；　followed　his　example。　　And　these　were　the　persons　whom　I　showed　to　Euthydemus；　telling　him　that　they　were　all　eager　to　learn：　　to　which　Ctesippus　and　all　of　them　with　one　voice　vehemently　assented；　and　bid　him　exhibit　the　power　of　his　wisdom。　　Then　I　said：　　O　Euthydemus　and　Dionysodorus；　I　earnestly　request　you　to　do　myself　and　the　company　the　favour　to　exhibit。　　There　may　be　some　trouble　in　giving　the　whole　exhibition；　but　tell　me　one　thing；can　you　make　a　good　man　of　him　only　who　is　already　convinced　that　he　ought　to　learn　of　you；　or　of　him　also　who　is　not　convinced；　either　because　he　imagines　that　virtue　is　a　thing　which　cannot　be　taught　at　all；　or　that　you　are　not　the　teachers　of　it？　　Has　your　art　power　to　persuade　him；　who　is　of　the　latter　temper　of　mind；　that　virtue　can　be　taught；　and　that　you　are　the　men　from　whom　he　will　best　learn　it？

Certainly；　Socrates；　said　Dionysodorus；　our　art　will　do　both。

And　you　and　your　brother；　Dionysodorus；　I　said；　of　all　men　who　are　now　living　are　the　most　likely　to　stimulate　him　to　philosophy　and　to　the　study　of　virtue？

Yes；　Socrates；　I　rather　think　that　we　are。

Then　I　wish　that　you　would　be　so　good　as　to　defer　the　other　part　of　the　exhibition；　and　only　try　to　persuade　the　youth　whom　you　see　here　that　he　ought　to　be　a　philosopher　and　study　virtue。　　Exhibit　that；　and　you　will　confer　a　great　favour　on　me　and　on　every　one　present；　for　the　fact　is　I　and　all　of　us　are　extremely　anxious　that　he　should　become　truly　good。　　His　name　is　Cleinias；　and　he　is　the　son　of　Axiochus；　and　grandson　of　the　old　Alcibiades；　cousin　of　the　Alcibiades　that　now　is。　　He　is　quite　young；　and　we　are　naturally　afraid　that　some　one　may　get　the　start　of　us；　and　turn　his　mind　in　a　wrong　direction；　and　he　may　be　ruined。　　Your　visit；　therefore；　is　most　happily　timed；　and　I　hope　that　you　will　make　a　trial　of　the　young　man；　and　converse　with　him　in　our　presence；　if　you　have　no　objection。

These　were　pretty　nearly　the　expressions　which　I　used；　and　Euthydemus；　in　a　manly　and　at　the　same　time　encouraging　tone；　replied：　　There　can　be　no　objection；　Socrates；　if　the　young　man　is　only　willing　to　answer　questions。

He　is　quite　accustomed　to　do　so；　I　replied；　for　his　friends　often　come　and　ask　him　questions　and　argue　with　him；　and　therefore　he　is　quite　at　home　in　answering。

What　followed；　Crito；　how　can　I　rightly　narrate？　　For　not　slight　is　the　task　of　rehearsing　infinite　wisdom；　and　therefore；　like　the　poets；　I　ought　to　commence　my　relation　with　an　invocation　to　Memory　and　the　Muses。　　Now　Euthydemus；　if　I　remember　rightly；　began　nearly　as　follows：　　O　Cleinias；　are　those　who　learn　the　wise　or　the　ignorant？

The　youth；　overpowered　by　the　question　blushed；　and　in　his　perplexity　looked　at　me　for　help；　and　I；　knowing　that　he　was　disconcerted；　said：　　Take　courage；　Cleinias；　and　answer　like　a　man　whichever　you　think；　for　my　belief　is　that　you　will　derive　the　greatest　benefit　from　their　questions。

Whichever　he　answers；　said　Dionysodorus；　leaning　forward　so　as　to　catch　my　ear；　his　face　beaming　with　laughter；　I　prophesy　that　he　will　be　refuted；　Socrates。

While　he　was　speaking　to　me；　Cleinias　gave　his　answer：　　and　therefore　I　had　no　time　to　warn　him　of　the　predicament　in　which　he　was　placed；　and　he　answered　that　those　who　learned　were　the　wise。

Euthydemus　proceeded：　　There　are　some　whom　you　would　call　teachers；　are　there　not？

The　boy　assented。

And　they　are　the　teachers　of　those　who　learnthe　grammar…master　and