cyropaedia-第8节

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！


say　good…bye　to　all　joy　for　evermoreno；　this　self…control　is　a
training；　so　that　we　may　reap　the　fruits　of　a　larger　joy　in　the　time
to　come。　A　man　will　toil　day　and　night　to　make　himself　an　orator；　yet
oratory　is　not　the　one　aim　of　his　existence：　his　hope　is　to　influence
men　by　his　eloquence　and　thus　achieve　some　noble　end。　So　too　with　us；
and　those　like　us；　who　are　drilled　in　the　arts　of　war：　we　do　not　give
our　labours　in　order　to　fight　for　ever；　endlessly　and　hopelessly；　we
hope　that　we　too　one　day；　when　we　have　proved　our　mettle；　may　win　and
wear　for　ourselves　and　for　our　city　the　threefold　ornament　of　wealth；
of　happiness；　of　honour。　＇10＇　And　if　there　should　be　some　who　have
worked　hard　all　their　lives　and　suddenly　old…age；　they　find；　has
stolen　on　them　unawares；　and　taken　away　their　powers　before　they　have
gathered　in　the　fruit　of　all　their　toil；　such　men　seem　to　me　like
those　who　desire　to　be　thrifty　husbandmen；　and　who　sow　well　and　plant
wisely；　but　when　the　time　of　harvest　comes　let　the　fruit　drop　back
ungarnered　into　the　soil　whence　it　sprang。　Or　as　if　an　athlete　should
train　himself　and　reach　the　heights　where　victory　may　be　won　and　at
the　last　forbear　to　enter　the　listssuch　an　one；　I　take　it；　would　but
meet　his　deserts　if　all　men　cried　out　upon　him　for　a　fool。　＇11＇　Let
not　such　be　our　fate；　my　friends。　Our　own　hearts　bear　us　witness　that
we；　too；　from　our　boyhood　up；　have　been　trained　in　the　school　of
beauty　and　nobleness　and　honour；　and　now　let　us　go　forward　to　meet　our
foes。　They；　I　know　right　well；　when　matched　with　us；　will　prove　but
novices　in　war。　He　is　no　true　warrior；　though　he　be　skilled　with　the
javelin　and　the　bow　and　ride　on　horseback　with　the　best；　who；　when　the
call　for　endurance　comes；　is　found　to　fail：　toil　finds　him　but　a
novice。　Nor　are　they　warriors　who；　when　they　should　wake　and　watch；
give　way　to　slumber：　sleep　finds　them　novices。　Even　endurance　will　not
avail；　if　a　man　has　not　learnt　to　deal　as　a　man　should　by　friends　and
foes：　such　an　one　is　unschooled　in　the　highest　part　of　his　calling。
＇12＇　But　with　you　it　is　not　so：　to　you　the　night　will　be　as　the　day；
toil；　your　school　has　taught　you；　is　the　guide　to　happiness；　hunger
has　been　your　daily　condiment；　and　water　you　take　to　quench　your
thirst　as　the　lion　laps　the　stream。　And　you　have　that　within　your
hearts　which　is　the　rarest　of　all　treasures　and　the　most　akin　to　war：
of　all　sweet　sounds　the　sweetest　sound　for　you　is　the　voice　of　fame。
You　are　fair　Honour's　suitors；　and　you　must　needs　win　your　title　to
her　favour。　Therefore　you　undergo　toil　and　danger　gladly。

＇13＇　〃Now　if　I　said　all　this　of　you；　and　my　heart　were　not　in　my
words；　I　should　but　cheat　myself。　For　in　so　far　as　you　should　fail　to
fulfil　my　hopes　of　you；　it　is　on　me　that　the　shame　would　fall。　But　I
have　faith　in　you；　bred　of　experience：　I　trust　in　your　goodwill
towards　me；　and　in　our　enemy's　lack　of　wit；　you　will　not　belie　my
hopes。　Let　us　go　forth　with　a　light　heart；　we　have　no　ill…fame　to
fear：　none　can　say　we　covet　another　man's　goods　unlawfully。　Our　enemy
strikes　the　first　blow　in　an　unrighteous　cause；　and　our　friends　call
us　to　protect　them。　What　is　more　lawful　than　self…defence？　What　is
nobler　than　to　succour　those　we　love？　＇14＇　And　you　have　another　ground
of　confidencein　opening　this　campaign　I　have　not　been　forgetful　of
the　gods：　you　have　gone　in　and　out　with　me；　and　you　know　how　in　all
things；　great　and　small；　I　strive　to　win　their　blessing。　And　now；〃　he
added；　〃what　need　of　further　words？　I　will　leave　you　now　to　choose
your　own　men；　and　when　all　is　ready　you　will　march　into　Media　at　their
head。　Meanwhile　I　will　return　to　my　father　and　start　before　you；　so
that　I　may　learn　what　I　can　about　the　enemy　as　soon　as　may　be；　and
thus　make　all　needful　preparations；　so　that　by　God's　help　we　may　win
glory　on　the　field。〃

＇C。6＇　Such　were　his　orders　and　they　set　about　them　at　once。　But　Cyrus
himself　went　home　and　prayed　to　the　gods　of　his　father's　house；　to
Hestia　and　Zeus；　and　to　all　who　had　watched　over　his　race。　And　when　he
had　done　so；　he　set　out　for　the　war；　and　his　father　went　with　him　on
the　road。　They　were　no　sooner　clear　of　the　city；　so　says　the　story；
than　they　met　with　favourable　omens　of　thunder　and　lightning；　and
after　that　they　went　forward　without　further　divination；　for　they　felt
that　no　man　could　mistake　the　signs　from　the　Ruler　of　the　gods。　＇2＇
And　as　they　went　on　their　way　Cyrus'　father　said　to　him；　〃My　son；　the
gods　are　gracious　to　us；　and　look　with　favour　on　your　journeythey
have　shown　it　in　the　sacrifices；　and　by　their　signs　from　heaven。　You
do　not　need　another　man　to　tell　you　so；　for　I　was　careful　to　have　you
taught　this　art；　so　that　you　might　understand　the　counsels　of　the　gods
yourself　and　have　no　need　of　an　interpreter；　seeing　with　your　own　eyes
and　hearing　with　your　own　ears　and　taking　the　heavenly　meaning　for
yourself。　Thus　you　need　not　be　at　the　mercy　of　any　soothsayers　who
might　have　a　mind　to　deceive　you；　speaking　contrary　to　the　omens
vouchsafed　from　heaven；　nor　yet；　should　you　chance　to　be　without　a
seer；　drift　in　perplexity　and　know　not　how　to　profit　by　the　heavenly
signs：　you　yourself　through　your　own　learning　can　understand　the
warnings　of　the　gods　and　follow　them。〃

＇3＇　〃Yes；　father；〃　answered　Cyrus；　〃so　far　as　in　me　lies；　I　bear　your
words　in　mind；　and　pray　to　the　gods　continually　that　they　may　show　us
favour　and　vouchsafe　to　counsel　us。　I　remember；〃　he　went　on；　〃how　once
I　heard　you　say　that；　as　with　men；　so　with　the　gods；　it　was　but
natural　if　the　prayer　of　him　should　prevail　who　did　not　turn　to
flatter　them　only　in　time　of　need；　but　was　mindful　of　them　above　all
in　the　heyday　of　his　happiness。　It　was　thus　indeed；　you　said；　that　we
ought　to　deal　with　our　earthly　friends。〃　＇4＇　〃True；　my　son；〃　said　his
father；　〃and　because　of　all　my　teaching；　you　can　now　approach　the　gods
in　prayer　with　a　lighter　heart　and　a　more　confident　hope　that　they
will　grant　you　what　you　ask；　because　your　conscience　bears　you　witness
that　you　have　never　forgotten　them。〃　〃Even　so；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃and　in
truth　I　feel　towards　them　as　though　they　were　my　friends。〃　＇5＇　〃And　do
you　remember；〃　asked　his　father；　〃certain　other　conclusions　on　which
we　were　agreed？　How　we　felt　there　were　certain　things　that　the　gods
had　permitted　us　to　attain　through　learning　and　study　and　training？
The　accomplishment　of　these　is　the　reward　of　effort；　not　of　idleness；
in　these　it　is　only　when　we　have　done　all　that　it　is　our　duty　to　do
that　we　are　justified　in　asking　for　blessings　from　the　gods。〃　＇6＇　〃I
remember　very　well；〃　said　Cyrus；　〃that　you　used　to　talk　to　me　in　that
way：　and　indeed　I　could　not　but　agree　with　the　arguments　you　gave。　You
used　to　say　that　a　man　had　no　right　to　pray　he　might　win　a　cavalry
charge　if　he　had　never　learnt　how　to　ride；　or　triumph　over　master…
bowmen　if　he　could　not　draw　a　bow；　or　bring　a　ship　safe　home　to
harbour　if　he　did　not　know　how　to　steer；　or　be　rewarded　with　a
plenteous　harvest　if　he　had　not　so　much　as　sown　grain　into　the　ground；
or　come　home　safe　from　battle　if　he　took　no　precautions　whatsoever。
All　such　prayers　as　these；　you　said；　were　contrary　to　the　very
ordinances　of　heaven；　and　those　who　asked　for　things　forbidden　could
not　be　surprised　if　they　failed　to　win　them　from　the　gods。　Even　as　a
petition　in　the　face　of　law　on　earth　would　have　no　success　with　men。〃

＇7＇　〃And　do　you　remember；〃　said　his　father；　〃how　we　thought　that　it
would　be　a　noble　work　enough　if　a　man　could　train　himself　really　and
truly　to　be　beautiful　and　brave　and　earn　all　he　needed　for　his
household　and　himself？　That；　we　said；　was　a　work　of　which　a　man　might
well　be　proud；　but　if　he　went　further　still；　if　he　had　the　skill　and
the　science　to　be　the　guide　and　governor　of　other　men；　supplying　all
their　wants　and　making　them　all　they　ought　to　be；　that；　it　seemed　to
us；　would　be　indeed　a　marvel。〃　＇8＇　〃Yes；　my　father；〃　answered　Cyrus；
〃I　remember　it　very　well。　I　agreed　with　you　that　to　rule　well　and
nobly　was　the　greatest　of　all　works；　and　I　am　of　the　same　mind　still；〃
he　went　on；　〃whenever　I　think　of　government　in　itself。　But　when　I　look
on　the　world　at　large；　when　I　see　of　what　poor　stuff　those　men　are
made　who　contrive　to　uphold　their　rule　and　what　sort　of　antagonists　we
are　likely　to　find　in　them；　then　I　can　only　feel　how　disgraceful　it
would　be　to　cringe　before　them　and　not　to　face　them　myself　and　try
conclusions　with　them　on　the　field。　All　of　them；　I　perceive；〃　he
added；　〃beginning　with　our　own　friends　here；　hold　to　it　that　the　ruler
should　only　differ　from　his　subjects　by　the　splendour　of　his　banquets；
the　wealth　of　gold　in　his　coffers；　the　length　and　depth　of　his
slumbers；　and　his　freedom　from　trouble　and　pain。　But　my　views　are
different：　I　hold　that　the　ruler　should　be　marked　out　from　other　men；
not　by　taking　life　easily；　but　by　his　forethought　and　his　wisdom　and
his　eagerness　for　work。〃　＇9＇　〃True；　my　son；〃　the　father　answered；　〃but
you　know　the　struggle　must　in　part　be　waged　not　against　flesh　and
blood　but　against　circumstances；　and　these　may　not　be　overcome　so
easily。　You　know；　I　take　it；　that　if　supplies　were　not　forthcoming；
farewell　to　this　government　of　yours。〃