lesser hippias-第6节
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soul of ignorance； than you would if you were to cure my body of disease。
I must； however； tell you beforehand； that if you make a long oration to me
you will not cure me； for I shall not be able to follow you； but if you
will answer me； as you did just now； you will do me a great deal of good；
and I do not think that you will be any the worse yourself。 And I have
some claim upon you also； O son of Apemantus； for you incited me to
converse with Hippias； and now； if Hippias will not answer me； you must
entreat him on my behalf。
EUDICUS： But I do not think； Socrates； that Hippias will require any
entreaty of mine； for he has already said that he will refuse to answer no
man。Did you not say so； Hippias？
HIPPIAS： Yes； I did； but then； Eudicus； Socrates is always troublesome in
an argument； and appears to be dishonest。 （Compare Gorgias； Republic。）
SOCRATES： Excellent Hippias； I do not do so intentionally （if I did； it
would show me to be a wise man and a master of wiles； as you would argue）；
but unintentionally； and therefore you must pardon me； for； as you say； he
who is unintentionally dishonest should be pardoned。
EUDICUS： Yes； Hippias； do as he says； and for our sake； and also that you
may not belie your profession； answer whatever Socrates asks you。
HIPPIAS： I will answer； as you request me； and do you ask whatever you
like。
SOCRATES： I am very desirous； Hippias； of examining this question； as to
which are the betterthose who err voluntarily or involuntarily？ And if
you will answer me； I think that I can put you in the way of approaching
the subject： You would admit； would you not； that there are good runners？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And there are bad runners？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And he who runs well is a good runner； and he who runs ill is a
bad runner？
HIPPIAS： Very true。
SOCRATES： And he who runs slowly runs ill； and he who runs quickly runs
well？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then in a race； and in running； swiftness is a good； and
slowness is an evil quality？
HIPPIAS： To be sure。
SOCRATES： Which of the two then is a better runner？ He who runs slowly
voluntarily； or he who runs slowly involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： He who runs slowly voluntarily。
SOCRATES： And is not running a species of doing？
HIPPIAS： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And if a species of doing； a species of action？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then he who runs badly does a bad and dishonourable action in a
race？
HIPPIAS： Yes； a bad action； certainly。
SOCRATES： And he who runs slowly runs badly？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then the good runner does this bad and disgraceful action
voluntarily； and the bad involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： That is to be inferred。
SOCRATES： Then he who involuntarily does evil actions； is worse in a race
than he who does them voluntarily？
HIPPIAS： Yes； in a race。
SOCRATES： Well； but at a wrestling matchwhich is the better wrestler； he
who falls voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： He who falls voluntarily； doubtless。
SOCRATES： And is it worse or more dishonourable at a wrestling match； to
fall； or to throw another？
HIPPIAS： To fall。
SOCRATES： Then； at a wrestling match； he who voluntarily does base and
dishonourable actions is a better wrestler than he who does them
involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： That appears to be the truth。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of any other bodily exerciseis not he
who is better made able to do both that which is strong and that which is
weakthat which is fair and that which is foul？so that when he does bad
actions with the body； he who is better made does them voluntarily； and he
who is worse made does them involuntarily。
HIPPIAS： Yes； that appears to be true about strength。
SOCRATES： And what do you say about grace； Hippias？ Is not he who is
better made able to assume evil and disgraceful figures and postures
voluntarily； as he who is worse made assumes them involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： True。
SOCRATES： Then voluntary ungracefulness comes from excellence of the
bodily frame； and involuntary from the defect of the bodily frame？
HIPPIAS： True。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of an unmusical voice； would you prefer
the voice which is voluntarily or involuntarily out of tune？
HIPPIAS： That which is voluntarily out of tune。
SOCRATES： The involuntary is the worse of the two？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And would you choose to possess goods or evils？
HIPPIAS： Goods。
SOCRATES： And would you rather have feet which are voluntarily or
involuntarily lame？
HIPPIAS： Feet which are voluntarily lame。
SOCRATES： But is not lameness a defect or deformity？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And is not blinking a defect in the eyes？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And would you rather always have eyes with which you might
voluntarily blink and not see； or with which you might involuntarily blink？
HIPPIAS： I would rather have eyes which voluntarily blink。
SOCRATES： Then in your own case you deem that which voluntarily acts ill；
better than that which involuntarily acts ill？
HIPPIAS： Yes； certainly； in cases such as you mention。
SOCRATES： And does not the same hold of ears； nostrils； mouth； and of all
the sensesthose which involuntarily act ill are not to be desired； as
being defective； and those which voluntarily act ill are to be desired as
being good？
HIPPIAS： I agree。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of instruments；which are the better
sort of instruments to have to do with？those with which a man acts ill
voluntarily or involuntarily？ For example； had a man better have a rudder
with which he will steer ill； voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： He had better have a rudder with which he will steer ill
voluntarily。
SOCRATES： And does not the same hold of the bow and the lyre； the flute
and all other things？
HIPPIAS： Very true。
SOCRATES： And would you rather have a horse of such a temper that you may
ride him ill voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： I would rather have a horse which I could ride ill voluntarily。
SOCRATES： That would be the better horse？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then with a horse of better temper； vicious actions would be
produced voluntarily； and with a horse of bad temper involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： Certainly。
SOCRATES： And that would be true of a dog； or of any other animal？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And is it better to possess the mind of an archer who
voluntarily or involuntarily misses the mark？
HIPPIAS： Of him who voluntarily misses。
SOCRATES： This would be the better mind for the purposes of archery？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then the mind which involuntarily errs is worse than the mind
which errs voluntarily？
HIPPIAS： Yes； certainly； in the use of the bow。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of the art of medicine；has not the mind
which voluntarily works harm to the body； more of the healing art？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Then in the art of medicine the voluntary is better than the
involuntary？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： Well； and in lute…playing and in flute…playing； and in all arts
and sciences； is not that mind the better which voluntarily does what is
evil and dishonourable； and goes wrong； and is not the worse that which
does so involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： That is evident。
SOCRATES： And what would you say of the characters of slaves？ Should we
not prefer to have those who voluntarily do wrong and make mistakes； and
are they not better in their mistakes than those who commit them
involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And should we not desire to have our own minds in the best state
possible？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： And will our minds be better if they do wrong and make mistakes
voluntarily or involuntarily？
HIPPIAS： O； Socrates； it would be a monstrous thing to say that those who
do wrong voluntarily are better than those who do wrong involuntarily！
SOCRATES： And yet that appears to be the only inference。
HIPPIAS： I do not think so。
SOCRATES： But I imagined； Hippias； that you did。 Please to answer once
more： Is not justice a power； or knowledge； or both？ Must not justice； at
all events； be one of these？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： But if justice is a power of the soul； then the soul which has
the greater power is also the more just； for that which has the greater
power； my good friend； has been proved by us to be the better。
HIPPIAS： Yes； that has been proved。
SOCRATES： And if justice is knowledge； then the wiser will be the juster
soul； and the more ignorant the more unjust？
HIPPIAS： Yes。
SOCRATES： But if
