cyropaedia-第70节
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Hohensteil…Schwangau/＇。
C1。23； med。 The Magians； the Persian order of priests。 Yet we have
heard of them throughout。
C1。27。 A very true saying and very nice the feeling it gives us
towards Xenophon。 We think of him with his wife and his little sons
and his friends and their friends。
C1。28。 How true of women！
C1。33。 A reduplication of the description in Bk。 I。； and also a
summing…up of Xenophon's own earthly paradisequite Tennysonian。
C1。37。 An important point or principle in Xenophon's political theory
indeed the key and tone of it： no one has a right to command except
by virtue of personal superiority。
C1。40 foll。 〃How art thou fallen from heaven； O Lucifer； son of the
morning！〃 The section； if； as I think it is； by Xenophon； throws light
on the nature and composition of the book。 The author isn't so
disengaged from 〃history〃 that he can set aside obviously integral
parts of the Persian system traceable to Cyrus； or at any rate
probably original； and their false…seeming and bamboozling mode of
keeping up dignity has to be taken account of。 It has its analogy in
the admission of thaumaturgy on the part of religious teachers； and no
doubt a good deal can be said for it。 The archic man in low spirits；
if he ever is so； has some need of bamboozling himself。 Titles do give
some moral support even nowadays to certain kinds of minds。
C1。46…48。 The archic man's dealings by those of his subjects who are
apt to rule； the men of high thoughts and ambitions； with whom he must
come into constant personal contact。 With them the spiritual dominance
alone will do。 They shall be made to love him rather than themselves。
（The only thing just here that jars is a sort of Machiavellian self…
consciousness； resented in the archic man）。
C1。46。 A cumbrous disjointed sentence； but the thought of it is clear
enough。 Even Xenophon's style breaks down when he tries to say in a
breath more than he naturally can。 Is it a sign of senility； or half…
thought…out ideas； or what？
C2。2； fin。 Does Xenophon feel the bathos of this； or is hdg。 wrong and
there is no bathos？ It may be said that the sacramental and spiritual
side is not in abeyance。 Xenophon has to account for the 〃common
board〃 and he has the Spartan Lycurgan 〃common board〃 to encourage
him； so that imaginatively he provides this royal being with a
sumptuous table at which thousands will share alike。
C2。3。 How far was this a custom among Hellenes？ It reveals a curious
state of society； real or imaginary； but I suppose that at Rome in
imperial days （cf。 /panem et circenses/） the theory of meat and drink
largesses being the best would hold。
C2。4； fin。 The last remark is so silly （？） I am almost disposed to
follow Lincke and admit interpolation。 Yet on the whole I think it is
the voice of the old man explaining in his Vicar…of…Wakefield style；
to his admiring auditors； wife； children； and grandsons； I fancy； and
slaves； the /raison d'être/ of Persian dinner…largesse customs。
C2。6。 Qy。： What was Xenophon's manner of composing？ The style here is
loose； like that of a man talking。 Perhaps he lectured and the
amanuensis took down what he said。
C2。8。 Ineptitudes。 One does somewhat sniff an editor here； I think；
but I am not sure。 There's a similar touch of ineptitude （senility；
perhaps） in the /Memorabilia/； /ad fin/。 On the other hand I can
imagine Xenophon purring over this side of Orientalism quite
naturally。
C2。12。 This slipshod style； how accounted for？ The most puzzling thing
of all is the sort of mental confusion between Cyrus and the king in
general。
C2。15…16。 Thoroughly Xenophontine and Ruskinian and eternal。
C2。24。 Here is the germ of benefit societies and clubs and insurances
and hospitals。 Xenophon probably learns it all from Ctesias； and
others of the sort。 Cyrus provides doctors and instruments and
medicines and diet； in fact； all the requisites of a hospital； in his
palace。 Nor does he forget to be grateful to the doctors who cured the
sick。 ＇Ctesias； the Greek physician to the Persian king。 See
/Anabasis/； I。 viii。 Works； Vol。 I。 p。 108。＇
C2。26 ff。 Xenophon's Machiavellianism。 Does it work？
C2。17…28。 It seems to me that all this is too elaborate for an
interpolator： it smacks of Xenophon in his arm…chair； theorising and
half…dreaming over his political philosophy。
C3。2。 Prototype； a procession to Eleusis or elsewhere： the
Panathenaic； possibly。 Xenophon's sumptuous taste and love of bright
colours。
C3。3； fin。； C3。4。 What a curious prototypic sound！ Truly this is the
very /modus/ of the evangelist's type of sentence。 His narrative must
run in this mould。
C3。4； fin。 This is the old Cyrus。 It comes in touchingly here； this
refrain of the old song； now an echo of the old life。
C3。14。 Xenophon delights somewhat in this sort of scene。 It is a
turning…point； a veritable moral peripety； though the decisive step
was taken long ago。 What is Xenophon's intention with regard to it？
Has he any /parti pris/； for or against？ Does he wish us to draw
conclusions？ Or does it correspond to a moral meeting of the waters in
his own mind？ Here love of Spartan simplicity； and there of splendour
and regality and monarchism？ He does not give a hint that the sapping
of the system begins here； when the archic man ceases to depend on his
own spiritual archic qualities and begins to eke out his dignity by
artificial means and external shows of reverence。
C3。20。 Is this worthy of the archic man？ It is a method； no doubt； of
｛arkhe｝； but has it any spiritual 〃last〃 in it？ The incident of
Da？pharnes somewhat diverts our attention from the justice of the
system in reference to the suitors。 On the whole； I think Xenophon
can't get further。 He is blinded and befogged by two things： （1） his
（i。e。 their） aristocratism； and again （2） his satisfaction in
splendour and get…up； provided it is attached to moral greatness。 We
are in the same maze； I fancy。 Jesus was not； nor is Walt Whitman。
C3。23。 Cyrus is made to behave rather like the autocratic father of a
goody story…book。
C3。25。 Realistic and vivid detailing： our curiosity is satisfied。 〃Who
has won？〃 we ask。 〃Oh； so…and…so； Smith。〃 Well； it's something to know
that Smith has won。 Xenophon； the artist； 'cutely introduces the
Sakian to us。 One scene takes up another； just as in real life。 Quite
soon we know a great deal more about this young man； a mere Sakian
private soldier； who wins the race so easily on his splendid horse。
Cyrus and good fortune introduce him to the very man he is suited to：
viz。 Pheraulas。
C3。37。 Pheraulas' boyhood has already been sketched by himself （II。
C3。7）； the active sturdy little youngster； snatching at a knife； and
hacking away /con amore/。 We know him well： Xenophon's modernism comes
out in these things。 Here we have the old father； a heart of oak； like
the old Acharnian in Aristophanes。 One of the prettiest morsels in all
Xenophon。 Xenophon's own father； is he there？
C3。47。 The desire for 〃leisure〃 is as strong in Xenophon as in hgd。 or
S。 T。 I。； I think。 ＇S。 T。 Irwin； also a master at Clifton。＇
C4。1。 Why is the Hyrcanian never named？ Is it conceivable that
Xenophon shrinks from using a proper name except when he has some
feeling for the sound of the language？ （Sic。 Sakians； Cadousians；
Indians； etc。）
C4。4 The 〃mark〃 system again which Xenophon believes in； but hgd。 not。
Shows how he tried to foster competitiveness。 It's after all a belief
in the central sun； a species of monarch…worship； logical and
consistent enough。
C4。8。 Xenophon reveals himself and the Hellenic feeling with regard to
war and its use。 The /pax Romana/ is anticipated in their minds。
C4。9。 Hystaspas is rather like the sons of Zebedee or the elder
brother of the Prodigal。
C4。12； fin。 Looks rather like a Greek joke。 But what is the joke？
C4。13…23。 Broad type of joke； but not unhealthy or prurient。 Prototype
probably Agesilaus and the younger Cyrus at the supper…table； with
just this touch of coarseness。
C4。32…36。 This is = to the Comtist theory of the duties of
capitalists； and is one of the noblest disquisitions in all Xenophon；
｛os g' emoi dokei｝。 Cyrus' theory is based on fraternal feeling among
the /elite/ of the world； and that is the sole difference； a large one
doubtless； and measures the gap between Xenophon and A。 C。 and our
advance in Democracy。
C5。17。 How far is this historical； i。e。 semi…historical？ I can't help
supposing that the commoner notion of a conquest of Media by Persia
was current and familiar to Xenophon apart from any other account；
which for his present purpose he chose to go upon and possibly
believed in。
C5。18…20。 Will Cyrus take her to wife； his old playmate？ All this
shows once more Xenophon's love of children。
C5。23…25。 The Persian Magna Charta； parallel to that between the
Spartan king and the ephorate。
C6。1…3。 （a） Satraps； to be counterpoised by （b） military governors in
the citadels； and （c） visitors living at court； but possessed of lands
in the provinces。 The object is； no doubt； to create a common interest
between the nobles and the king which will keep the satrap in
counterpoise。
C6。11。 The Oriental feeling again。
C6。12； fin。 O
