the golden sayings-第5节

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LVII







That　was　a　good　reply　which　Diogenes　made　to　a　man　who　asked

him　for　letters　of　recommendation。〃That　you　are　a　man；　he　will

know　when　he　sees　you；whether　a　good　or　bad　one；　he　will　know

if　he　has　any　skill　in　discerning　the　good　or　bad。　But　if　he　has

none；　he　will　never　know；　though　I　write　him　a　thousand　times。〃

It　is　as　though　a　piece　of　silver　money　desired　to　be　recommended

to　some　one　to　be　tested。　If　the　man　be　a　good　judge　of　silver；

he　will　know：　the　coin　will　tell　its　own　tale。





LVIII







Even　as　the　traveller　asks　his　way　of　him　that　he　meets；

inclined　in　no　wise　to　bear　to　the　right　rather　than　to　the　left

（for　he　desires　only　the　way　leading　whither　he　would　go）；　so

should　we　come　unto　God　as　to　a　guide；　even　as　we　use　our　eyes

without　admonishing　them　to　show　us　some　things　rather　than

others；　but　content　to　receive　the　images　of　such　things　as　they

present　to　us。　But　as　it　is　we　stand　anxiously　watching　the

victim；　and　with　the　voice　of　supplication　call　upon　the　augur：

〃Master；　have　mercy　on　me：　vouchsafe　unto　me　a　way　of　escape！〃

Slave；　would　you　then　have　aught　else　then　what　is　best？　is　there

anything　better　than　what　is　God's　good　pleasure？　Why；　as　far　as

in　you　lies；　would　you　corrupt　your　Judge；　and　lead　your

Counsellor　astray？





LIX







God　is　beneficent。　But　the　Good　also　is　beneficent。　It

should　seem　then　that　where　the　real　nature　of　God　is；　there　too

is　to　be　found　the　real　nature　of　the　Good。　What　then　is　the　real

nature　of　God？Intelligence；　Knowledge；　Right　Reason。　Here　then

without　more　ado　seek　the　real　nature　of　the　Good。　For　surely

thou　dost　not　seek　it　in　a　plant　or　in　an　animal　that　reasoneth

not。





LX







Seek　then　the　real　nature　of　the　Good　in　that　without　whose

presence　thou　wilt　not　admit　the　Good　to　exist　in　aught　else。

What　then？　Are　not　these　other　things　also　works　of　God？They

are；　but　not　preferred　to　honour；　nor　are　they　portions　of　God。

But　thou　art　a　thing　preferred　to　honour：　thou　art　thyself　a

fragment　torn　from　God：thou　hast　a　portion　of　Him　within

thyself。　How　is　it　then　that　thou　dost　not　know　thy　high　descent

dost　not　know　whence　thou　comest？　When　thou　eatest；　wilt　thou

not　remember　who　thou　art　that　eatest　and　whom　thou　feedest？　In

intercourse；　in　exercise；　in　discussion　knowest　thou　not　that　it

is　a　God　whom　thou　feedest；　a　God　whom　thou　exercisest；　a　God

whom　thou　bearest　about　with　thee；　O　miserable！　and　thou

perceivest　it　not。　Thinkest　thou　that　I　speak　of　a　God　of　silver

or　gold；　that　is　without　thee？　Nay；　thou　bearest　Him　within　thee！

all　unconcious　of　polluting　Him　with　thoughts　impure　and　unclean

deeds。　Were　an　image　of　God　present；　thou　wouldest　not　dare　to

act　as　thou　dost；　yet；　when　God　Himself　is　present　within　thee；

beholding　and　hearing　all；　thou　dost　not　blush　to　think　such

thoughts　and　do　such　deeds；　O　thou　that　art　insensible　of　thine

own　nature　and　liest　under　the　wrath　of　God！





LXI





Why　then　are　we　afraid　when　we　send　a　young　man　from　the

Schools　into　active　life；　lest　he　should　indulge　his　appetites

intemperately；　lest　he　should　debase　himself　by　ragged　clothing；

or　be　puffed　up　by　fine　raiment？　Knows　he　not　the　God　within　him；

knows　he　not　with　whom　he　is　starting　on　his　way？　Have　we

patience　to　hear　him　say　to　us；　Would　I　had　thee　with　me！Hast

thou　not　God　where　thou　art；　and　having　Him　dost　thou　still　seek

for　any　other！　Would　He　tell　thee　aught　else　than　these　things？

Why；　wert　thou　a　statue　of　Phidias；　an　Athena　or　a　Zeus；　thou

wouldst　bethink　thee　both　of　thyself　and　thine　artificer；　and

hadst　thou　any　sense；　thou　wouldst　strive　to　do　no　dishonour　to

thyself　or　him　that　fashioned　thee；　nor　appear　to　beholders　in

unbefitting　guise。　But　now；　because　God　is　thy　Maker；　is　that　why

thou　carest　not　of　what　sort　thou　shalt　show　thyself　to　be？　Yet

how　different　the　artists　and　their　workmanship！　What　human

artist's　work；　for　example；　has　in　it　the　faculties　that　are

displayed　in　fashioning　it？　Is　it　aught　but　marble；　bronze；　gold；

or　ivory？　Nay；　when　the　Athena　of　Phidias　has　put　forth　her　hand

and　received　therein　a　Victory；　in　that　attitude　she　stands　for

evermore。　But　God's　works　move　and　breathe；　they　use　and　judge

the　things　of　sense。　The　workmanship　of　such　an　Artist；　wilt　thou

dishonor　Him？　Ay；　when　he　not　only　fashioned　thee；　but　placed

thee；　like　a　ward；　in　the　care　and　guardianship　of　thyself　alone；

wilt　thou　not　only　forget　this；　but　also　do　dishonour　to　what　is

committed　to　thy　care！　If　God　had　entrusted　thee　with　an　orphan；

wouldst　thou　have　thus　neglected　him？　He　hath　delivered　thee　to

thine　own　care；　saying；　I　had　none　more　faithful　than　myself：

keep　this　man　for　me　such　as　Nature　hath　made　himmodest；

faithful；　high…minded；　a　stranger　to　fear；　to　passion；　to

perturbation。　。　。　。



Such　will　I　show　myself　to　you　all。〃What；　exempt　from

sickness　also：　from　age；　from　death？〃Nay；　but　accepting

sickness；　accepting　death　as　becomes　a　God！





LXII





No　labour；　according　to　Diogenes；　is　good　but　that　which

aims　at　producing　courage　and　strength　of　soul　rather　than　of

body。





LXIII





A　guide；　on　finding　a　man　who　has　lost　his　way；　brings　him

back　to　the　right　pathhe　does　not　mock　and　jeer　at　him　and

then　take　himself　off。　You　also　must　show　the　unlearned　man　the

truth；　and　you　will　see　that　he　will　follow。　But　so　long　as　you

do　not　show　it　him；　you　should　not　mock；　but　rather　feel　your　own

incapacity。





LXIV







It　was　the　first　and　most　striking　characteristic　of

Socrates　never　to　become　heated　in　discourse；　never　to　utter　an

injurious　or　insulting　wordon　the　contrary；　he　persistently

bore　insult　from　others　and　thus　put　an　end　to　the　fray。　If　you

care　to　know　the　extent　of　his　power　in　this　direction；　read

Xenophon's　Banquet；　and　you　will　see　how　many　quarrels　he　put　an

end　to。　This　is　why　the　Poets　are　right　in　so　highly　commending

this　faculty：



Quickly　and　wisely　withal　even　bitter　feuds　would　he　settle。



Nevertheless　the　practice　is　not　very　safe　at　present；

especially　in　Rome。　One　who　adopts　it；　I　need　not　say；　ought　not

to　carry　it　out　in　an　obscure　corner；　but　boldly　accost；　if

occasion　serve；　some　personage　of　rank　or　wealth。



〃Can　you　tell　me；　sir；　to　whose　care　you　entrust　your

horses？〃



〃I　can。〃



〃Is　it　to　the　first　corner；　who　knows　nothing　about　them？〃



〃Certainly　not。〃



〃Well；　what　of　the　man　who　takes　care　of　your　gold；　your

silver　or　your　raiment？〃



〃He　must　be　experienced　also。〃



〃And　your　bodyhave　you　ever　considered　about　entrusting

it　to　any　one's　care？〃



〃Of　course　I　have。〃



〃And　no　doubt　to　a　person　of　experience　as　a　trainer；　a

physician？〃



〃Surely。〃



〃And　these　things　the　best　you　possess；　or　have　you　anything

more　precious？〃



〃What　can　you　mean？〃



〃I　mean　that　which　employs　these；　which　weights　all　things；

which　takes　counsel　and　resolve。〃



〃Oh；　you　mean　the　soul。〃



〃You　take　me　rightly；　I　do　mean　the　soul。　By　Heaven；　I　hold

that　far　more　precious　than　all　else　I　possess。　Can　you　show　me

then　what　care　you　bestow　on　a　soul？　For　it　can　scarcely　be

thought　that　a　man　of　your　wisdom　and　consideration　in　the　city

would　suffer　your　most　precious　possession　to　go　to　ruin　through

carelessness　and　neglect。〃



〃Certainly　not。〃



〃Well；　do　you　take　care　of　it　yourself？　Did　any　one　teach

you　the　right　method；　or　did　you　discover　it　yourself？〃



Now　here　comes　in　the　danger：　first；　that　the　great　man　may

answer；　〃Why；　what　is　that　to　you；　my　good　fellow？　are　you　my

master？〃　And　then；　if　you　persist　in　troubling　him；　may　raise　his

hand　to　strike　you。　It　is　a　practice　of　which　I　was　myself　a　warm

admirer　until　such　experiences　as　these　befell　me。





LXV







When　a　youth　was　giving　himself　airs　in　the　Theatre　and

saying；　〃I　am　wise；　for　I　have　conversed　with　many　wise　men；〃

Epictetus　replied；　〃I　too　have　conversed　with　many　rich　men；　yet

I　am　not　rich！〃





LXVI





We　see　that　a　carpenter　becomes　a　carpenter　by　learning

certain　things：　that　a　pilot；　by　learning　certain　things；　becomes

a　pilot。　Possibly　also　in　the　present　case　the　mere　desire　to　be

wise　and　good　is　not　enough。　It　is　necessary　to　learn　certain

things。　This　is　then　the　object　of　our　search。　The　Philosophers

would　have　us　first　learn　that　there　is　a　God；　and　that　His

Providence　directs　the　Universe；　further；　that　to　hide　from　Him

not　only　one's　acts　but　even　one's　thoughts　and　intentions　is

impossible；　secondly；　what　the　nature　of　God　is。　Whatever　that

nature　is　discovered　to　be；　the　man　who　would　please　and　obey　Him

must　strive　with　all　his　might　to　be　made　like　unto　him。　If　the

Divine　is　faithful；　he　also　must　be　faithful；　if　free；　he　also

must　be　free；　if　beneficent；　he　also　must　be　beneficent；　if

magnani