charmides-第10节
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no one； however rich； or noble； or fair； persuade you to give him the cure；
without the charm。' Now I have sworn； and I must keep my oath； and
therefore if you will allow me to apply the Thracian charm first to your
soul； as the stranger directed； I will afterwards proceed to apply the cure
to your head。 But if not； I do not know what I am to do with you； my dear
Charmides。
Critias； when he heard this； said： The headache will be an unexpected gain
to my young relation； if the pain in his head compels him to improve his
mind： and I can tell you； Socrates； that Charmides is not only pre…eminent
in beauty among his equals； but also in that quality which is given by the
charm； and this； as you say； is temperance？
Yes； I said。
Then let me tell you that he is the most temperate of human beings； and for
his age inferior to none in any quality。
Yes； I said； Charmides； and indeed I think that you ought to excel others
in all good qualities； for if I am not mistaken there is no one present who
could easily point out two Athenian houses； whose union would be likely to
produce a better or nobler scion than the two from which you are sprung。
There is your father's house； which is descended from Critias the son of
Dropidas； whose family has been commemorated in the panegyrical verses of
Anacreon； Solon； and many other poets； as famous for beauty and virtue and
all other high fortune： and your mother's house is equally distinguished；
for your maternal uncle； Pyrilampes； is reputed never to have found his
equal； in Persia at the court of the great king； or on the continent of
Asia； in all the places to which he went as ambassador； for stature and
beauty； that whole family is not a whit inferior to the other。 Having such
ancestors you ought to be first in all things； and； sweet son of Glaucon；
your outward form is no dishonour to any of them。 If to beauty you add
temperance； and if in other respects you are what Critias declares you to
be； then； dear Charmides； blessed art thou； in being the son of thy mother。
And here lies the point； for if； as he declares； you have this gift of
temperance already； and are temperate enough； in that case you have no need
of any charms； whether of Zamolxis or of Abaris the Hyperborean； and I may
as well let you have the cure of the head at once； but if you have not yet
acquired this quality； I must use the charm before I give you the medicine。
Please； therefore； to inform me whether you admit the truth of what Critias
has been saying；have you or have you not this quality of temperance？
Charmides blushed； and the blush heightened his beauty； for modesty is
becoming in youth； he then said very ingenuously； that he really could not
at once answer； either yes； or no； to the question which I had asked： For；
said he； if I affirm that I am not temperate； that would be a strange thing
for me to say of myself； and also I should give the lie to Critias； and
many others who think as he tells you； that I am temperate： but； on the
other hand； if I say that I am； I shall have to praise myself； which would
be ill manners； and therefore I do not know how to answer you。
I said to him： That is a natural reply； Charmides； and I think that you
and I ought together to enquire whether you have this quality about which I
am asking or not； and then you will not be compelled to say what you do not
like； neither shall I be a rash practitioner of medicine： therefore； if
you please； I will share the enquiry with you； but I will not press you if
you would rather not。
There is nothing which I should like better； he said； and as far as I am
concerned you may proceed in the way which you think best。
I think； I said； that I had better begin by asking you a question； for if
temperance abides in you； you must have an opinion about her； she must give
some intimation of her nature and qualities； which may enable you to form a
notion of her。 Is not that true？
Yes； he said； that I think is true。
You know your native language； I said； and therefore you must be able to
tell what you feel about this。
Certainly； he said。
In order； then； that I may form a conjecture whether you have temperance
abiding in you or not； tell me； I said； what； in your opinion； is
Temperance？
At first he hesitated； and was very unwilling to answer： then he said that
he thought temperance was doing things orderly and quietly； such things for
example as walking in the streets； and talking； or anything else of that
nature。 In a word； he said； I should answer that； in my opinion；
temperance is quietness。
Are you right； Charmides？ I said。 No doubt some would affirm that the
quiet are the temperate； but let us see whether these words have any
meaning； and first tell me whether you would not acknowledge temperance to
be of the class of the noble and good？
Yes。
But which is best when you are at the writing…master's； to write the same
letters quickly or quietly？
Quickly。
And to read quickly or slowly？
Quickly again。
And in playing the lyre； or wrestling； quickness or sharpness are far
better than quietness and slowness？
Yes。
And the same holds in boxing and in the pancratium？
Certainly。
And in leaping and running and in bodily exercises generally； quickness and
agility are good； slowness； and inactivity； and quietness； are bad？
That is evident。
Then； I said； in all bodily actions； not quietness； but the greatest
agility and quickness； is noblest and best？
Yes； certainly。
And is temperance a good？
Yes。
Then； in reference to the body； not quietness； but quickness will be the
higher degree of temperance； if temperance is a good？
True； he said。
And which； I said； is betterfacility in learning； or difficulty in
learning？
Facility。
Yes； I said； and facility in learning is learning quickly； and difficulty
in learning is learning quietly and slowly？
True。
And is it not better to teach another quickly and energetically； rather
than quietly and slowly？
Yes。
And which is better； to call to mind； and to remember； quickly and readily；
or quietly and slowly？
The former。
And is not shrewdness a quickness or cleverness of the soul； and not a
quietness？
True。
And is it not best to understand what is said； whether at the writing…
master's or the music…master's； or anywhere else； not as quietly as
possible； but as quickly as possible？
Yes。
And in the searchings or deliberations of the soul； not the quietest； as I
imagine； and he who with difficulty deliberates and discovers； is thought
worthy of praise； but he who does so most easily and quickly？
Quite true； he said。
And in all that concerns either body or soul； swiftness and activity are
clearly better than slowness and quietness？
Clearly they are。
Then temperance is not quietness； nor is the temperate life quiet；
certainly not upon this view； for the life which is temperate is supposed
to be the good。 And of two things； one is true；either never； or very
seldom； do the quiet actions in life appear to be better than the quick and
energetic ones； or supposing that of the nobler actions； there are as many
quiet； as quick and vehement： still； even if we grant this； temperance
will not be acting quietly any more than acting quickly and energetically；
either in walking or talking or in anything else； nor will the quiet life
be more temperate than the unquiet； seeing that temperance is admitted by
us to be a good and noble thing； and the quick have been shown to be as
good as the quiet。
I think； he said； Socrates； that you are right。
Then once more； Charmides； I said； fix your attention； and look within；
consider the effect which temperance has upon yourself； and the nature of
that which has the effect。 Think over all this； and； like a brave youth；
tell meWhat is temperance？
After a moment's pause； in which he made a real manly effort to think； he
said： My opinion is； Socrates； that temperance makes a man ashamed or
modest； and that temperance is the same as modesty。
Very good
