symposium-第4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！
irst place； a hasty attachment is held to be dishonourable； because time is the true test of this as of most other things； and secondly there is a dishonour in being overcome by the love of money； or of wealth； or of political power； whether a man is frightened into surrender by the loss of them； or； having experienced the benefits of money and political corruption； is unable to rise above the seductions of them。 For none of these things are of a permanent or lasting nature； not to mention that no generous friendship ever sprang from them。 There remains； then； only one way of honourable attachment which custom allows in the beloved； and this is the way of virtue； for as we admitted that any service which the lover does to him is not to be accounted flattery or a dishonour to himself； so the beloved has one way only of voluntary service which is not dishonourable； and this is virtuous service。 For we have a custom； and according to our custom any one who does service to another under the idea that he will be improved by him either in wisdom； or； in some other particular of virtue…such a voluntary service； I say； is not to be regarded as a dishonour； and is not open to the charge of flattery。 And these two customs； one the love of youth； and the other the practice of philosophy and virtue in general； ought to meet in one； and then the beloved may honourably indulge the lover。 For when the lover and beloved come together； having each of them a law； and the lover thinks that he is right in doing any service which he can to his gracious loving one； and the other that he is right in showing any kindness which he can to him who is making him wise and good； the one capable of communicating wisdom and virtue； the other seeking to acquire them with a view to education and wisdom； when the two laws of love are fulfilled and meet in one…then； and then only； may the beloved yield with honour to the lover。 Nor when love is of this disinterested sort is there any disgrace in being deceived； but in every other case there is equal disgrace in being or not being deceived。 For he who is gracious to his lover under the impression that he is rich； and is disappointed of his gains because he turns out to be poor； is disgraced all the same： for he has done his best to show that he would give himself up to any one's 〃uses base〃 for the sake of money； but this is not honourable。 And on the same principle he who gives himself to a lover because he is a good man； and in the hope that he will be improved by his company； shows himself to be virtuous； even though the object of his affection turn out to be a villain； and to have no virtue； and if he is deceived he has committed a noble error。 For he has proved that for his part he will do anything for anybody with a view to virtue and improvement； than which there can be nothing nobler。 Thus noble in every case is the acceptance of another for the sake of virtue。 This is that love which is the love of the heavenly godess； and is heavenly； and of great price to individuals and cities； making the lover and the beloved alike eager in the work of their own improvement。 But all other loves are the offspring of the other； who is the common goddess。 To you； Phaedrus； I offer this my contribution in praise of love； which is as good as I could make extempore。 Pausanias came to a pause…this is the balanced way in which I have been taught by the wise to speak； and Aristodemus said that the turn of Aristophanes was next； but either he had eaten too much； or from some other cause he had the hiccough； and was obliged to change turns with Eryximachus the physician； who was reclining on the couch below him。 Eryximachus； he said； you ought either to stop my hiccough； or to speak in my turn until I have left off。 I will do both； said Eryximachus： I will speak in your turn； and do you speak in mine； and while I am speaking let me recommend you to hold your breath； and if after you have done so for some time the hiccough is no better； then gargle with a little water； and if it still continues； tickle your nose with something and sneeze； and if you sneeze once or twice； even the most violent hiccough is sure to go。 I will do as you prescribe； said Aristophanes； and now get on。 Eryximachus spoke as follows： Seeing that Pausanias made a fair beginning； and but a lame ending； I must endeavour to supply his deficiency。 I think that he has rightly distinguished two kinds of love。 But my art further informs me that the double love is not merely an affection of the soul of man towards the fair； or towards anything； but is to be found in the bodies of all animals and in productions of the earth； and I may say in all that is； such is the conclusion which I seem to have gathered from my own art of medicine； whence I learn how great and wonderful and universal is the deity of love； whose empire extends over all things； divine as well as human。 And from medicine I would begin that I may do honour to my art。 There are in the human body these two kinds of love； which are confessedly different and unlike； and being unlike； they have loves and desires which are unlike； and the desire of the healthy is one； and the desire of the diseased is another； and as Pausanias was just now saying that to indulge good men is honourable； and bad men dishonourable：…so too in the body the good and healthy elements are to be indulged； and the bad elements and the elements of disease are not to be indulged； but discouraged。 And this is what the physician has to do； and in this the art of medicine consists： for medicine may be regarded generally as the knowledge of the loves and desires of the body； and how to satisfy them or not； and the best physician is he who is able to separate fair love from foul； or to convert one into the other； and he who knows how to eradicate and how to implant love； whichever is required； and can reconcile the most hostile elements in the constitution and make them loving friends； is skilful practitioner。 Now the： most hostile are the most opposite； such as hot and cold； bitter and sweet； moist and dry； and the like。 And my ancestor； Asclepius； knowing how…to implant friendship and accord in these elements； was the creator of our art； as our friends the poets here tell us； and I believe them； and not only medicine in every branch but the arts of gymnastic and husbandry are under his dominion。 Any one who pays the least attention to the subject will also perceive that in music there is the same reconciliation of opposites； and I suppose that this must have been the meaning； of Heracleitus； although； his words are not accurate； for he says that is united by disunion； like the harmony…of bow and the lyre。 Now there is an absurdity saying that harmony is discord or is composed of elements which are still in a state of discord。 But what he probably meant was； that； harmony is composed of differing notes of higher or lower pitch which disagreed once； but are now reconciled by the art of music； for if the higher and lower notes still disagreed； there could be there could be no harmony…clearly not。 For harmony is a symphony； and symphony is an agreement； but an agreement of disagreements while they disagree there cannot be； you cannot harmonize that which disagrees。 In like manner rhythm is compounded of elements short and long； once differing and now…in accord； which accordance； as in the former instance； medicine； so in all these other cases； music implants； making love and unison to grow up among them； and thus music； too； is concerned with the principles of love in their application to harmony and rhythm。 Again； in the essential nature of harmony and rhythm there is no difficulty in discerning love which has not yet become double。 But when you want to use them in actual life； either in the composition of songs or in the correct performance of airs or metres composed already； which latter is called education； then the difficulty begins； and the good artist is needed。 Then the old tale has to be repeated of fair and heavenly love …the love of Urania the fair and heavenly muse； and of the duty of accepting the temperate； and those who are as yet intemperate only that they may become temperate； and of preserving their love； and again； of the vulgar Polyhymnia； who must be used with circumspection that the pleasure be enjoyed； but may not generate licentiousness； just as in my own art it is a great matter so to regulate the desires of the epicure that he may gratify his tastes without the attendant evil of disease。 Whence I infer that in music； in medicine； in all other things human as which as divine； both loves ought to be noted as far as may be； for they are both present。 The course of the seasons is also full of both these principles； and when； as I was saying； the elements of hot and cold； moist and dry； attain the harmonious love of one another and blend in temperance and harmony； they bring to men； animals； and plants health and plenty； and do them no harm； whereas the wanton love； getting the upper hand and affecting the seasons of the year； is very destructive and injurious； being the source of pestilence； and bringing many other kinds of diseases on animals and plants； for hoar…frost and hail and blight spring from the excesses and
