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第9节

charmides-第9节

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Then; when there had been enough of this; I; in my turn; began to make



enquiries about matters at homeabout the present state of philosophy; and



about the youth。  I asked whether any of them were remarkable for wisdom or



beauty; or both。  Critias; glancing at the door; invited my attention to



some youths who were coming in; and talking noisily to one another;



followed by a crowd。  Of the beauties; Socrates; he said; I fancy that you



will soon be able to form a judgment。  For those who are just entering are



the advanced guard of the great beauty; as he is thought to be; of the day;



and he is likely to be not far off himself。







Who is he; I said; and who is his father?







Charmides; he replied; is his name; he is my cousin; and the son of my



uncle Glaucon:  I rather think that you know him too; although he was not



grown up at the time of your departure。







Certainly; I know him; I said; for he was remarkable even then when he was



still a child; and I should imagine that by this time he must be almost a



young man。







You will see; he said; in a moment what progress he has made and what he is



like。  He had scarcely said the word; when Charmides entered。







Now you know; my friend; that I cannot measure anything; and of the



beautiful; I am simply such a measure as a white line is of chalk; for



almost all young persons appear to be beautiful in my eyes。  But at that



moment; when I saw him coming in; I confess that I was quite astonished at



his beauty and stature; all the world seemed to be enamoured of him;



amazement and confusion reigned when he entered; and a troop of lovers



followed him。  That grown…up men like ourselves should have been affected



in this way was not surprising; but I observed that there was the same



feeling among the boys; all of them; down to the very least child; turned



and looked at him; as if he had been a statue。







Chaerephon called me and said:  What do you think of him; Socrates?  Has he



not a beautiful face?







Most beautiful; I said。







But you would think nothing of his face; he replied; if you could see his



naked form:  he is absolutely perfect。







And to this they all agreed。







By Heracles; I said; there never was such a paragon; if he has only one



other slight addition。







What is that? said Critias。







If he has a noble soul; and being of your house; Critias; he may be



expected to have this。







He is as fair and good within; as he is without; replied Critias。







Then; before we see his body; should we not ask him to show us his soul;



naked and undisguised? he is just of an age at which he will like to talk。







That he will; said Critias; and I can tell you that he is a philosopher



already; and also a considerable poet; not in his own opinion only; but in



that of others。







That; my dear Critias; I replied; is a distinction which has long been in



your family; and is inherited by you from Solon。  But why do you not call



him; and show him to us? for even if he were younger than he is; there



could be no impropriety in his talking to us in the presence of you; who



are his guardian and cousin。







Very well; he said; then I will call him; and turning to the attendant; he



said; Call Charmides; and tell him that I want him to come and see a



physician about the illness of which he spoke to me the day before



yesterday。  Then again addressing me; he added:  He has been complaining



lately of having a headache when he rises in the morning:  now why should



you not make him believe that you know a cure for the headache?







Why not; I said; but will he come?







He will be sure to come; he replied。







He came as he was bidden; and sat down between Critias and me。  Great



amusement was occasioned by every one pushing with might and main at his



neighbour in order to make a place for him next to themselves; until at the



two ends of the row one had to get up and the other was rolled over



sideways。  Now I; my friend; was beginning to feel awkward; my former bold



belief in my powers of conversing with him had vanished。  And when Critias



told him that I was the person who had the cure; he looked at me in such an



indescribable manner; and was just going to ask a question。  And at that



moment all the people in the palaestra crowded about us; and; O rare! I



caught a sight of the inwards of his garment; and took the flame。  Then I



could no longer contain myself。  I thought how well Cydias understood the



nature of love; when; in speaking of a fair youth; he warns some one 'not



to bring the fawn in the sight of the lion to be devoured by him;' for I



felt that I had been overcome by a sort of wild…beast appetite。  But I



controlled myself; and when he asked me if I knew the cure of the headache;



I answered; but with an effort; that I did know。







And what is it? he said。







I replied that it was a kind of leaf; which required to be accompanied by a



charm; and if a person would repeat the charm at the same time that he used



the cure; he would be made whole; but that without the charm the leaf would



be of no avail。







Then I will write out the charm from your dictation; he said。







With my consent? I said; or without my consent?







With your consent; Socrates; he said; laughing。







Very good; I said; and are you quite sure that you know my name?







I ought to know you; he replied; for there is a great deal said about you



among my companions; and I remember when I was a child seeing you in



company with my cousin Critias。







I am glad to find that you remember me; I said; for I shall now be more at



home with you and shall be better able to explain the nature of the charm;



about which I felt a difficulty before。  For the charm will do more;



Charmides; than only cure the headache。  I dare say that you have heard



eminent physicians say to a patient who comes to them with bad eyes; that



they cannot cure his eyes by themselves; but that if his eyes are to be



cured; his head must be treated; and then again they say that to think of



curing the head alone; and not the rest of the body also; is the height of



folly。  And arguing in this way they apply their methods to the whole body;



and try to treat and heal the whole and the part together。  Did you ever



observe that this is what they say?







Yes; he said。







And they are right; and you would agree with them?







Yes; he said; certainly I should。







His approving answers reassured me; and I began by degrees to regain



confidence; and the vital heat returned。  Such; Charmides; I said; is the



nature of the charm; which I learned when serving with the army from one of



the physicians of the Thracian king Zamolxis; who are said to be so skilful



that they can even give immortality。  This Thracian told me that in these



notions of theirs; which I was just now mentioning; the Greek physicians



are quite right as far as they go; but Zamolxis; he added; our king; who is



also a god; says further; 'that as you ought not to attempt to cure the



eyes without the head; or the head without the body; so neither ought you



to attempt to cure the body without the soul; and this;' he said; 'is the



reason why the cure of many diseases is unknown to the physicians of



Hellas; because they are ignorant of the whole; which ought to be studied



also; for the part can never be well unless the whole is well。'  For all



good and evil; whether in the body or in human nature; originates; as he



declared; in the soul; and overflows from thence; as if from the head into



the eyes。  And therefore if the head and body are to be well; you must



begin by curing the soul; that is the first thing。  And the cure; my dear



youth; has to be effected by the use of certain charms; and these charms



are fair words; and by them temperance is implanted in the soul; and where



temperance is; there health is speedily imparted; not only to the head; but



to the whole body。  And he who taught me the cure and the charm at the same



time added a special direction:  'Let no one;' he said; 'persuade you to



cure the head; until he has first given you his soul to be cured by the



charm。  For this;' he said; 'is the great error of our day in the treatment



of the human body; that physicians separate the soul from the body。'  And



he added with emphasis; at the same time making me swear to his words; 'Let



no one; however rich; or noble; or fair; per

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