the memorabilia(纪念品)-第21节
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authorised thus to report of you； I think you will find me a serviceable
fellow…hunter in the quest of friends； which is the conquest of the good。
Cri。 Why this appeal to me？as if you had not free permission to say
exactly what you like about me。
Soc。 No； that I deny； on the authority of Aspasia。＇25＇ I have it from her
own lips。 〃Good matchmakers；〃 she said tome； 〃were clever hands at
cementing alliances between people； provided the good qualities they
vouched for were truthfully reported； but when it came to their telling lies；
for her part she could not compliment them。＇26＇ Their poor deluded dupes
ended by hating each other and the go…betweens as well。〃 Now I myself
am so fully persuaded of the truth of this that I feel it is not in my power to
say aught in your praise which I cannot say with truth。
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＇25＇ Aspasia； daughter of Axiochus； of Miletus。 See 〃Econ。〃 iii。 14；
Plat。 〃Menex。〃 235 E； Aesch。 Socrat。 ap。 Cic。 〃de Invent。〃 I。 xxxi。 51。
See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 vi。 132 foll。； Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃
＇26＇ Reading ｛ouk ethelein epainein｝； or if ｛ouk ophelein epainousas｝
with Kuhner transl。 〃Good matchmakers； she told me； have to
consult truth when reporting favourably of any one： then indeed they
are terribly clever at bringing people together： whereas false
flatterers do no good； their dupes；〃 etc。
Cri。 Really； Socrates； you are a wonderfully good friend to mein so
far as I have any merit which will entitle me to win a friend； you will lend
me a helping hand； it seems； otherwise you would rather not forge any
petty fiction for my benefit。
Soc。 But tell me； how shall I assist you best； think you？ By praising
you falsely or by persuading you to try to be a good man？ Or if it is not
plain to you thus； look at the matter by the light of some examples。 I wish
to introduce you to a shipowner； or to make him your friend： I begin by
singing your praises to him falsely thus； 〃You will find him a good pilot〃；
he catches at the phrase； and entrusts his ship to you； who have no notion
of guiding a vessel。 What can you expect but to make shipwreck of the
craft and yourself together？ or suppose by similar false assertions I can
persuade the state at large to entrust her destinies to you〃a man with a
fine genius for command；〃 I say； 〃a practised lawyer；〃 〃a politician born；〃
and so forth。 The odds are； the state and you may come to grief through
you。 Or to take an instance from everyday life。 By my falsehoods I
persuade some private person to entrust his affairs to you as 〃a really
careful and business…like person with a head for economy。〃 When put to
the test would not your administration prove ruinous； and the figure you
cut ridiculous？ No； my dear friend； there is but one road； the shortest；
safest； best； and it is simply this： In whatsoever you desire to be deemed
good； endeavour to be good。 For of all the virtues namable among men；
consider； and you will find there is not one but may be increased by
learning and practice。 For my part then； Critobulus； these are the principles
on which we ought to go a… hunting； but if you take a different view； I am
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all attention； please instruct me。
Then Critobulus： Nay； Socrates； I should be ashamed to gainsay what
you have said； if I did； it would neither be a noble statement nor a
true。＇27＇
＇27＇ ｛kala 。 。 。 alethe｝。
VII
He had two ways of dealing with the difficulties of his friends： where
ignorance was the cause； he tried to meet the trouble by a dose of common
sense； or where want and poverty were to blame； by lessoning them that
they should assist one another according to their ability； and here I may
mention certain incidents which occurred within my own knowledge。 How；
for instance； he chanced upon Aristarchus wearing the look of one who
suffered from a fit of the 〃sullens；〃 and thus accosted him。
Soc。 You seem to have some trouble on your mind； Aristarchus； if so；
you should share it with your friends。 Perhaps together we might lighten
the weight of it a little。
Aristarchus answered： Yes； Socrates； I am in sore straits indeed。 Ever
since the party strife declared itself in the city；＇1＇ what with the rush of
people to Piraeus； and the wholesale banishments； I have been fairly at the
mercy of my poor deserted female relatives。 Sisters； nieces； cousins； they
have all come flocking to me for protection。 I have fourteen free…born
souls； I tell you； under my single roof； and how are we to live？ We can get
nothing out of the soilthat is in the hands of the enemy； nothing from my
house property； for there is scarcely a living soul left in the city； my
furniture？ no one will buy it； money？ there is none to be borrowedyou
would have a better chance to find it by looking for it on the road than to
borrow it from a banker。 Yes； Socrates； to stand by and see one's relatives
die of hunger is hard indeed； and yet to feed so many at such a pinch
impossible。
＇1＇ i。e。 circa 404…403 B。C。 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iv。
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After he listened to the story； Socrates asked： How comes it that
Ceramon；＇2＇ with so many mouths to feed； not only contrives to furnish
himself and them with the necessaries of life； but to realise a handsome
surplus； whilst you being in like plight＇3＇ are afraid you will one and all
perish of starvation for want of the necessaries of life？
＇2＇ An employer of labour； apparently； on a grand scale。
＇3＇ Lit。 〃with your large family to feed。〃 L。 Dindorf would like to
read ｛su de oligous｝； 〃you with your small family。〃
Ar。 Why； bless your soul； do you not see he has only slaves and I have
free…born souls to feed？
Soc。 And which should you say were the better human beings； the
free… born members of your household or Ceramon's slaves？
Ar。 The free souls under my roof without a doubt。
Soc。 Is it not a shame； then； that he with his baser folk to back him
should be in easy circumstances； while you and your far superior
household are in difficulties？
Ar。 To be sure it is； when he has only a set of handicraftsmen to feed；
and I my liberally…educated household。
Soc。 What is a handicraftsman？ Does not the term apply to all who can
make any sort of useful product or commodity？
Ar。 Certainly。
Soc。 Barley meal is a useful product； is it not？
Ar。 Pre…eminently so。
Soc。 And loaves of bread？
Ar。 No less。
Soc。 Well； and what do you say to cloaks for men and for women
tunics； mantles； vests？＇4＇
＇4＇ For these articles of dress see Becker's 〃Charicles；〃 Exc。 i。 to
Sc。 xi。 〃Dress。〃
Ar。 Yes； they are all highly useful commodities。
Soc。 Then your household do not know how to make any of these？
Ar。 On the contrary； I believe they can make them all。
Soc。 Then you are not aware that by means of the manufacture of one
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of these alonehis barley meal storeNausicydes＇5＇ not only maintains
himself and his domestics； but many pigs and cattle besides； and realises
such large profits that he frequently contributes to the state
benevolences；＇6＇ while there is Cyrebus； again； who； out of a bread
factory； more than maintains the whole of his establishment； and lives in
the lap of luxury； and Demeas of Collytus gets a livelihood out of a cloak
business； and Menon as a mantua…maker； and so； again； more than half the
Megarians＇7＇ by the making of vests。
＇5＇ Nausicydes。 Cobet； 〃Pros。 Xen。〃 cf。 Aristoph。 〃Eccles。〃 426。
＇6＇ Lit。 〃state liturgies；〃 or 〃to the burden of the public services。〃
Fo
