the memorabilia(纪念品)-第3节
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possessing virtue should deign to ask money as its price instead of simply
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finding his rward in the acquisition of an honest friend； as if the new…
fledged soul of honour could forget her debt of gratitude to her greatest
benefactor。
For himself； without making any such profession； he was content to
believe that those who accepted his views would play their parts as good
and true friends to himself and one another their lives long。 Once more
then： how should a man of this character corrupt the young？ unless the
careful cultivation of virtue be corruption。
But； says the accuser；＇2＇ by all that's sacred！ did not Socrates cause his
associates to despise the established laws when he dwelt on the folly of
appointing state officers by ballot？＇3＇ a principle which； he said； no one
would care to apply in selecting a pilot or a flute… player or in any similar
case； where a mistake would be far less disastrous than in matters political。
Words like these； according to the accuser； tended to incite the young to
contemn the established constitution； rendering them violent and
headstrong。 But for myself I think that those who cultivate wisdom and
believe themselves able to instruct their fellow…citizens as to their interests
are least likely to become partisans of violence。 They are too well aware
that to violence attach enmities and dangers； whereas results as good may
be obtained by persuasion safely and amicably。 For the victim of violence
hates with vindictiveness as one from whom something precious has been
stolen； while the willing subject of persuasion is ready to kiss the hand
which has done him a service。 Hence compulsion is not the method of him
who makes wisdom his study； but of him who wields power untempered
by reflection。 Once more： the man who ventures on violence needs the
support of many to fight his battles； while he whose strength lies in
persuasiveness triumphs single…handed； for he is conscious of a cunning to
compel consent unaided。 And what has such a one to do with the spilling
of blood？ since how ridiculous it were to do men to death rather than turn
to account the trusty service of the living。
＇2＇ ｛o kategoros｝ = Polycrates possibly。 See M。 Schantz； op。 cit。；
〃Einleitun；〃 S。 6： 〃Die Anklagerede des Polykrates〃； Introduction； p。
xxxii。 foll。
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＇3＇ i。e。 staking the election of a magistrate on the colour of a bean。
See Aristot。 〃Ath。 Pol。〃 viii。 2； and Dr。 Sandys ad loc。
But； the accuser answers； the two men＇4＇ who wrought the greatest
evils to the state at any timeto wit； Critias and Alcibiadeswere both
companions of SocratesCritias the oligarch； and Alcibiades the democrat。
Where would you find a more arrant thief； savage； and murderer＇5＇ than
the one？ where such a portent of insolence； incontinence； and high…
handedness as the other？ For my part； in so far as these two wrought evil
to the state； I have no desire to appear as the apologist of either。 I confine
myself to explaining what this intimacy of theirs with Socrates really was。
＇4＇ See 〃Hell。〃 I。 and II。 passim。
＇5＇ Reading ｛kleptistatos te kai biaiotatos kai phonikotatos｝； or if
｛pleonektistatos te kai biaiotatis｝； translate 〃such a manner of greed
and violence as the one； of insolence； etc。； as the other？〃 See Grote；
〃H。 G。〃 viii。 337。 Never were two more ambitious citizens seen at Athens。
Ambition was in their blood。 If they were to have their will； all power was
to be in their hands； their fame was to eclipse all other。 Of Socrates they
knewfirst that he lived an absolutely independent life on the scantiest
means； next that he was self…disciplined to the last degree in respect of
pleasures； lastly that he was so formidable in debate that there was no
antagonist he could not twist round his little finger。 Such being their views；
and such the character of the pair； which is the more probable： that they
sought the society of Socrates because they felt the fascination of his life；
and were attracted by the bearing of the man？ or because they thought； if
only we are leagued with him we shall become adepts in statecraft and
unrivalled in the arts of speech and action？ For my part I believe that if the
choice from Heaven had been given them to live such a life as they saw
Socrates living to its close； or to die； they would both have chosen death。
Their acts are a conclusive witness to their characters。 They no sooner
felt themselves to be the masters of those they came in contact with than
they sprang aside from Socrates and plunged into that whirl of politics but
for which they might never have sought his society。
It may be objected： before giving his companions lessons in politics
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Socrates had better have taught them sobriety。＇6＇ Without disputing the
principle； I would point out that a teacher cannot fail to discover to his
pupils his method of carrying out his own precepts； and this along with
argumentative encouragement。 Now I know that Socrates disclosed
himself to his companions as a beautiful and noble being； who would
reason and debate with them concerning virtue and other human interests
in the noblest manner。 And of these two I know that as long as they were
companions of Socrates even they were temperate； not assuredly from fear
of being fined or beaten by Socrates； but because they were persuaded for
the nonce of the excellence of such conduct。
＇6＇ ｛sophrosune｝ = 〃sound…mindedness；〃 〃temperence。〃 See below； IV。
iii。 1。
Perhaps some self…styled philosophers＇7＇ may here answer： 〃Nay； the
man truly just can never become unjust； the temperate man can never
become intemperate； the man who has learnt any subject of knowledge can
never be as though he had learnt it not。〃 That； however； is not my own
conclusion。 It is with the workings of the soul as with those of the body；
want of exercise of the organ leads to inability of function； here bodily；
there spiritual； so that we can neither do the things that we should nor
abstain from the things we should not。 And that is why fathers keep their
sons； however temperate they may be； out of the reach of wicked men；
considering that if the society of the good is a training in virtue so also is
the society of the bad its dissolution。
＇7＇ In reference to some such tenet as that of Antisthenes ap。 Diog。
Laert。 VI。 ix。 30； ｛areskei d' autois kai ten areten didakten einai；
katha phesin 'Antisthenes en to 'Rraklei kai anapobleton uparkhein｝。
Cf。 Plat。 〃Protag。〃 340 D； 344 D。
To this the poet＇8＇ is a witness； who says：
〃From the noble thou shalt be instructed in nobleness； but； and if
thou minglest with the base thou wilt destroy what wisdom thou hast
now〃；
And he＇9＇ who says：
〃But the good man has his hour of baseness as well as his hour of
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virtue〃
to whose testimony I would add my own。 For I see that it is impossible
to remember a long poem without practice and repetition； so is
forgetfulness of the words of instruction engendered in the heart that has
ceased to value them。 With the words of warning fades the recollection of
the very condition of mind in which the soul yearned after holiness； and
once forgetting this； what wonder that the man should let slip also the
memory of virtue itself！ Again I see that a man who falls into habits of
drunkenness or plunges headlong into licentious love； loses his old power
