the memorabilia(纪念品)-第28节
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won by land and sea。 Heroes were these men also； far outshining； as
tradition tells us； the peoples of their time。
＇12＇ Cf。 〃Il。〃 ii。 547； ｛'Erekhtheos megaletoros k。t。l。｝
＇13＇ Cf。 Isoc。 〃Paneg。〃 19； who handles all the topics。
＇14＇ Commonly spoken of as 〃the Return。〃 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 II。 ch。
xviii。
＇15＇ Against the Amazons and Thracians； cf。 Herod。 ix。 27； Plut。
〃Thes。〃 27。
＇16＇ The 〃Persian〃 wars； cf。 Thucyd。 I。 i。
＇17＇ He omits the Plataeans。
Per。 Yes； so runs the story of their heroism。
Soc。 Therefore it is that； amidst the many changes of inhabitants； and
the migrations which have； wave after wave； swept over Hellas； these
maintained themselves in their own land； unmoved； so that it was a
common thing for others to turn to them as to a court of appeal on points
of right； or to flee to Athens as a harbour of refuge from the hand of the
oppressor。＇18＇
＇18＇ Cf。 （Plat。） 〃Menex。〃； Isocr。 〃Paneg。〃
Then Pericles： And the wonder to me； Socrates； is how our city ever
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came to decline。
Soc。 I think we are victims of our own success。 Like some athlete；＇19＇
whose facile preponderance in the arena has betrayed him into laxity until
he eventually succumbs to punier antagonists； so we Athenians； in the
plenitude of our superiority； have neglected ourselves and are become
degenerate。
＇19＇ Reading ｛athletai tines｝； or if ｛alloi tines｝； translate 〃any one
else。〃
Per。 What then ought we to do now to recover our former virtue？
Soc。 There need be no mystery about that； I think。 We can rediscover
the institutions of our forefathersapplying them to the regulation of our
lives with something of their precision； and not improbably with like
success； or we can imitate those who stand at the front of affairs to…day；＇20＇
adapting to ourselves their rule of life； in which case； if we live up to the
standard of our models； we may hope at least to rival their excellence； or；
by a more conscientious adherence to what they aim at； rise superior。
＇20＇ Sc。 the Lacedaemonians。 See W。 L。 Newman； op。 cit。 i。 396。
You would seem to suggest （he answered） that the spirit of beautiful
and brave manhood has taken wings and left our city；＇21＇ as； for instance；
when will Athenians； like the Lacedaemonians； reverence old agethe
Athenian； who takes his own father as a starting…point for the contempt he
pours upon grey hairs？ When will he pay as strict an attention to the body；
who is not content with neglecting a good habit；＇22＇ but laughs to scorn
those who are careful in this matter？ When shall we Athenians so obey our
magistrateswe who take a pride； as it were； in despising authority？ When；
once more； shall we be united as a peoplewe who； instead of combining
to promote common interests； delight in blackening each other's
characters；＇23＇ envying one another more than we envy all the world
besides； andwhich is our worst failingwho； in private and public
intercourse alike； are torn by dissension and are caught in a maze of
litigation； and prefer to make capital out of our neighbour's difficulties
rather than to render natural assistance？ To make our conduct consistent；
indeed； we treat our national interests no better than if they were the
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concerns of some foreign state； we make them bones of contention to
wrangle over； and rejoice in nothing so much as in possessing means and
ability to indulge these tastes。 From this hotbed is engendered in the state a
spirit of blind folly＇24＇ and cowardice； and in the hearts of the citizens
spreads a tangle of hatred and mutual hostility which； as I often shudder to
think； will some day cause some disaster to befall the state greater than it
can bear。＇25＇
＇21＇ Or； 〃is far enough away from Athens。〃
＇22＇ See below； III。 xii。 5； 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 i。 13； 〃Rev。〃 iv。 52。
＇23＇ Or； 〃to deal despitefully with one another。
＇24＇ Reading ｛ateria｝。 See L。 Dindorf ad loc。； Ox。 ed。 lxii。 Al。
｛apeiria｝； a want of skill； or ｛ataxia｝； disorderliness。 Cf。 〃Pol。 Ath。〃 i。
5。
＇25＇ Possibly the author is thinking of the events of 406； 405 B。C。
（see 〃Hell。〃 I。 vii。 and II。）； and history may repeat itself。
Do not （replied Socrates）； do not； I pray you； permit yourself to
believe that Athenians are smitten with so incurable a depravity。 Do you
not observe their discipline in all naval matters？ Look at their prompt and
orderly obedience to the superintendents at the gymnastic contests；＇26＇
their quite unrivalled subservience to their teachers in the training of our
choruses。
＇26＇ Epistatoi； i。e。 stewards and training…masters。
Yes （he answered）； there's the wonder of it； to think that all those good
people should so obey their leaders； but that our hoplites and our cavalry；
who may be supposed to rank before the rest of the citizens in excellence
of manhood；＇27＇ should be so entirely unamenable to discipline。
＇27＇ ｛kalokagathia｝。
Then Socrates： Well； but the council which sits on Areopagos is
composed of citizens of approved＇28＇ character； is it not？
＇28＇ Technically； they must have passed the ｛dokimasia｝。 And for the
〃Aeropagos〃 see Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 v。 498； Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 ii。 12； 〃Ath。
Pol。〃 4。 4； where see Dr。 Sandys' note； p。 18。
Certainly （he answered）。
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Soc。 Then can you name any similar body； judicial or executive； trying
cases or transacting other business with greater honour； stricter legality；
higher dignity； or more impartial justice？
No； I have no fault to find on that score （he answered）。
Soc。 Then we ought not to despair as though all sense of orderliness
and good discipline had died out of our countrymen。
Still （he answered）； if it is not to harp upon one string； I maintain that
in military service； where； if anywhere； sobreity and temperance；
orderliness and good discipline are needed； none of these essentials
receives any attention。
May it not perhaps be （asked Socrates） that in this department they are
officered by those who have the least knowledge？＇29＇ Do you not notice；
to take the case of harp…players； choric performers； dancers； and the like；
that no one would ever dream of leading if he lacked the requisite
knowledge？ and the same holds of wrestlers or pancratiasts。
＇29＇ ｛episteme｝。 See below； III。 ix。 10。
Moreover； while in these cases any one in command can tell you
where he got the elementary knowledge of what he presides over； most
generals are amateurs and improvisers。＇30＇ I do not at all suppose that you
are one of that sort。 I believe you could give as clear an account of your
schooling in strategy as you could in the matter of wrestling。 No doubt you
have got at first hand many of your father's 〃rules for generalship；〃 which
you carefully preserve； besides having collected many others from every
quarter whence it was possible to pick up any knowledge which would be
of use to a future general。 Again； I feel sure you are deeply concerned to
escape even unconscious ignorance of anything which will be serviceable
to you in so high an office； and if you detect in yourself any ignorance；
you turn to those who have knowledge in these matters （sparing neither
gifts nor gratitude） to supplement your ignorance by their knowledge and
to secure their help。
＇30＇ Cf。 〃Pol。 Lac。〃 xiii。 5。
To which Pericles： I am not so blind； Socrates； as to imagine you say
these words under the idea that I am truly so careful in these matters； but
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rather your object is to teach me that the would…be general must make
such things his care。 I admit in any c
