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第15节

philebus-第15节

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is pushed and overborne by the mob; I open the door wide; and let



knowledge of every sort stream in; and the pure mingle with the



impure?



  Pro。 I do not know; Socrates; that any great harm would come of



having them all; if only you have the first sort。



  Soc。 Well; then; shall I let them all flow into what Homer



poetically terms 〃a meeting of the waters〃?



  Pro。 By all means。



  Soc。 There…I have let him in; and now I must return to the



fountain of pleasure。 For we were not permitted to begin by mingling



in a single stream the true portions of both according to our original



intention; but the love of all knowledge constrained us to let all the



sciences flow in together before the pleasures。



  Pro。 Quite true。



  Soc。 And now the time has come for us to consider about the



pleasures also; whether we shall in like manner let them go all at



once; or at first only the true ones。



  Pro。 It will be by far the safer course to let flow the true ones



first。



  Soc。 Let them flow; then; and now; if there are any necessary



pleasures; as there were arts and sciences necessary; must we not



mingle them?



  Pro。 Yes; the necessary pleasures should certainly be allowed to



mingle。



  Soc。 The knowledge of the arts has been admitted to be innocent



and useful always; and if we say of pleasures in like manner that



all of them are good and innocent for all of us at all times; we



must let them all mingle?



  Pro。 What shall we say about them; and what course shall we take?



  Soc。 Do not ask me; Protarchus; but ask the daughters of pleasure



and wisdom to answer for themselves。



  Pro。 How?



  Soc。 Tell us; O beloved…shall we call you pleasures or by some other



name?…would you rather live with or without wisdom? I am of opinion



that they would certainly answer as follows:



  Pro。 How?



  Soc。 They would answer; as we said before; that for any single class



to be left by itself pure and isolated is not good; nor altogether



possible; and that if we are to make comparisons of one class with



another and choose; there is no better companion than knowledge of



things in general; and likewise the perfect knowledge; if that may be;



of ourselves in every respect。



  Pro。 And our answer will be:…In that ye have spoken well。



  Soc。 Very true。 And now let us go back and interrogate wisdom and



mind: Would you like to have any pleasures in the mixture? And they



will reply:…〃What pleasures do you mean?〃



  Pro。 Likely enough。



  Soc。 And we shall take up our parable and say: Do you wish to have



the greatest and most vehement pleasures for your companions in



addition to the true ones? 〃Why; Socrates;〃 they will say; 〃how can



we? seeing that they are the source of ten thousand hindrances to



us; they trouble the souls of men; which are our habitation; with



their madness; they prevent us from coming to the birth; and are



commonly the ruin of the children which are born to us; causing them



to be forgotten and unheeded; but the true and pure pleasures; of



which you spoke; know to be of our family; and also those pleasures



which accompany health and temperance; and which every Virtue; like



a goddess has in her train to follow her about wherever she



goes;…mingle these and not the others; there would be great want of



sense in any one who desires to see a fair and perfect mixture; and to



find in it what is the highest good in man and in the universe; and to



divine what is the true form of good…there would be great want of



sense in his allowing the pleasures; which are always in the company



of folly and vice; to mingle with mind in the cup。〃…Is not this a very



rational and suitable reply; which mind has made; both on her own



behalf; as well as on the behalf of memory and true opinion?



  Pro。 Most certainly。



  Soc。 And still there must be something more added; which is a



necessary ingredient in every mixture。



  Pro。 What is that?



  Soc。 Unless truth enter into the composition; nothing can truly be



created or subsist。



  Pro。 Impossible。



  Soc。 Quite impossible; and now you and Philebus must tell me whether



anything is still wanting in the mixture; for to my way of thinking



the argument is now completed; and may be compared to an incorporeal



law; which is going to hold fair rule over a living body。



  Pro。 I agree with you; Socrates。



  Soc。 And may we not say with reason that we are now at the vestibule



of the habitation of the good?



  Pro。 I think that we are。



  Soc。 What; then; is there in the mixture which is most precious; and



which is the principal cause why such a state is universally beloved



by all? When we have discovered it; we will proceed to ask whether



this omnipresent nature is more akin to pleasure or to mind。



  Pro。 Quite right; in that way we shall be better able to judge。



  Soc。 And there is no difficulty in seeing the cause which renders



any mixture either of the highest value or of none at all。



  Pro。 What do you mean?



  Soc。 Every man knows it。



  Pro。 What?



  Soc。 He knows that any want of measure and symmetry in any mixture



whatever must always of necessity be fatal; both to the elements and



to the mixture; which is then not a mixture; but only a confused



medley which brings confusion on the possessor of it。



  Pro。 Most true。



  Soc。 And now the power of the good has retired into the region of



the beautiful; for measure and symmetry are beauty and virtue all



the world over。



  Pro。 True。



  Soc。 Also we said that truth was to form an element in the mixture。



  Pro。 Certainly。



  Soc。 Then; if we are not able to hunt the good with one idea only;



with three we may catch our prey; Beauty; Symmetry; Truth are the



three; and these taken together we may regard as the single cause of



the mixture; and the mixture as being good by reason of the infusion



of them。



  Pro。 Quite right。



  Soc。 And now; Protarchus; any man could decide well enough whether



pleasure or wisdom is more akin to the highest good; and more



honourable among gods and men。



  Pro。 Clearly; and yet perhaps the argument had better be pursued



to the end。



  Soc。 We must take each of them separately in their relation to



pleasure and mind; and pronounce upon them; for we ought to see to



which of the two they are severally most akin。



  Pro。 You are speaking of beauty; truth; and measure?



  Soc。 Yes; Protarchus; take truth first; and; after passing in review



mind; truth; pleasure; pause awhile and make answer to yourself…as



to whether pleasure or mind is more akin to truth。



  Pro。 There is no need to pause; for the difference between them is



palpable; pleasure is the veriest impostor in the world; and it is



said that in the pleasures of love; which appear to be the greatest;



perjury is excused by the gods; for pleasures; like children; have not



the least particle of reason in them; whereas mind is either the



same as truth; or the most like truth; and the truest。



  Soc。 Shall we next consider measure; in like manner; and ask whether



pleasure has more of this than wisdom; or wisdom than pleasure?



  Pro。 Here is another question which may be easily answered; for I



imagine that nothing can ever be more immoderate than the transports



of pleasure; or more in conformity with measure than mind and



knowledge。



  Soc。 Very good; but there still remains the third test: Has mind a



greater share of beauty than pleasure; and is mind or pleasure the



fairer of the two?



  Pro。 No one; Socrates; either awake or dreaming; ever saw or



imagined mind or wisdom to be in aught unseemly; at any time; past;



present; or future。



  Soc。 Right。



  Pro。 But when we see some one indulging in pleasures; perhaps in the



greatest of pleasures; the ridiculous or disgraceful nature of the



action makes us ashamed; and so we put them out of sight; and



consign them to darkness; under the idea that they ought not to meet



the eye of day。



  Soc。 Then; Protarchus; you will proclaim everywhere; by word of



mouth to this company; and by messengers bearing the tidings far and



wide; that pleasure is not the first of possessions; nor yet the



second; but that in measure; and the mean; and the suitable; and the



like; the eternal nature has been found。



  Pro。 Yes; that seems to be the result of what has been now said。



  Soc。 In the second class is contained the symmetrical and



beautiful and perfect or sufficient; and all which are of that family。



  Pro。 True。



  Soc。 And if you reckon in the third dass mind and wisdom; you will



not be far wrong; if I divine aright。



  Pro。 I dare say。



  Soc。 And would you not put in the fourth class the goods which we



were affirming to appertain specially to the soul…sciences and arts



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