the memorabilia-第13节

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there　is　no　greater　evil　through　fear　of　which　to　stay　iniquity。

You　do　not　suppose　that　human　beings　produce　children　for　the　sake　of
carnal　pleasure＇1＇　merely；　were　this　the　motive；　street　and　bordell
are　full　of　means　to　quit　them　of　that　thrall；　whereas　nothing　is
plainer　than　the　pains　we　take　to　seek　out　wives　who　shall　bear　us　the
finest　children。＇2＇　With　these　we　wed；　and　carry　on　the　race。　The　man
has　a　twofold　duty　to　perform：　partly　in　cherishing　her　who　is　to
raise　up　children　along　with　him；　and　partly　towards　the　children　yet
unborn　in　providing　them　with　things　that　he　thinks　will　contribute　to
their　well…beingand　of　these　as　large　a　store　as　possible。　The
woman；　conceiving；　bears　her　precious　burthen　with　travail　and　pain；
and　at　the　risk　of　life　itselfsharing　with　that　within　her　womb　the
food　on　which　she　herself　is　fed。　And　when　with　much　labour　she　has
borne　to　the　end　and　brought　forth　her　offspring；　she　feeds　it　and
watches　over　it　with　tender　carenot　in　return　for　any　good　thing
previously　received；　for　indeed　the　babe　itself　is　little　conscious　of
its　benefactor　and　cannot　even　signify　its　wants；　only　she；　the
mother；　making　conjecture　of　what　is　good　for　it；　and　what　will　please
it；　essays　to　satisfy　it；＇3＇　and　for　many　months　she　feeds　it　night
and　day；　enduring　the　toil　nor　recking　what　return　she　shall　receive
for　all　her　trouble。　Nor　does　the　care　and　kindness　of　parents　end
with　nurture；　but　when　the　children　seem　of　an　age　to　learn；　they
teach　them　themselves　whatever　cunning　they　possess；　as　a　guide　to
life；　or　where　they　feel　that　another　is　more　competent；　to　him　they
send　them　to　be　taught　at　their　expense。　Thus　they　watch　over　their
children；　doing　all　in　their　power　to　enable　them　to　grow　up　to　be　as
good　as　possible。

＇1＇　Lit。　〃the　joys　of　Aphrodite。〃

＇2＇　〃For　the　procreation　of　children。〃　See　below；　IV。　iv。　22；　〃Pol。
　　　　Lac。〃　i。

＇3＇　Lit。　〃to　leave　nought　lacking。〃

So　be　it　（the　youth　answered）；　but　even　if　she　have　done　all　that；　and
twenty　times　as　much；　no　soul　on　earth　could　endure　my　mother's　cross…
grained　temper。

Then　Socrates：　Which；　think　you；　would　be　harder　to　beara　wild
beast's　savagery　or　a　mother's？

Lamp。　To　my　mind；　a　mother'sat　least　if　she　be　such　as　mine。

Soc。　Dear　me！　And　has　this　mother　ever　done　you　any　injurysuch　as
people　frequently　receive　from　beasts；　by　bite　or　kick？

Lamp。　If　she　has　not　done　quite　that；　she　uses　words　which　any　one
would　sooner　sell　his　life　than　listen　to。

Soc。　And　how　many　annoyances　have　you　caused　your　mother；　do　you
suppose；　by　fretfulness　and　peevishness　in　word　and　deed；　night　and
day；　since　you　were　a　little　boy？　How　much　sorrow　and　pain；　when　you
were　ill？

Lamp。　Well；　I　never　said　or　did　anything　to　bring　a　blush　to　her
cheeks。

Soc。　No；　come　now！　Do　you　suppose　it　is　harder　for　you　to　listen　to
your　mother's　speeches　than　for　actor　to　listen　to　actor　on　the　tragic
stage；＇4＇　when　the　floodgates　of　abuse　are　opened？

＇4＇　See　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　viii。　457；　Plut。　〃Solon；〃　xxix。

Lamp。　Yes；　for　the　simple　reason　that　they　know　it　is　all　talk　on
their　parts。　The　inquisitor　may　cross…question；　but　he　will　not
inflict　a　fine；　the　threatener　may　hurl　his　menaces；　but　he　will　do　no
mischiefthat　is　why　they　take　it　all　so　easily。

Soc。　Then　ought　you　to　fly　into　a　passion；　who　know　well　enough　that；
whatever　your　mother　says；　she　is　so　far　from　meaning　you　mischief
that　she　is　actually　wishing　blessings　to　descend　upon　you　beyond　all
others？　Or　do　you　believe　that　your　mother　is　really　ill　disposed
towards　you？

Lamp。　No；　I　do　not　think　that。

Soc。　Then　this　mother；　who　is　kindly　disposed　to　you；　and　takes　such
tender　care　of　you　when　you　are　ill　to　make　you　well　again；　and　to　see
that　you　want　for　nothing　which　may　help　you；　and；　more　than　all；　who
is　perpetually　pleading　for　blessings　in　your　behalf　and　offering　her
vows　to　Heaven＇5＇can　you　say　of　her　that　she　is　cross…grained　and
harsh？　For　my　part；　I　think；　if　you　cannot　away　with　such　a　mother；
you　cannot　away　with　such　blessings　either。

＇5＇　Or；　〃paying　vows。〃

But　tell　me　（he　proceeded）；　do　you　owe　service　to　any　living　being；
think　you？　or　are　you　prepared　to　stand　alone？　Prepared　not　to　please
or　try　to　please　a　single　soul？　to　follow　none？　To　obey　neither
general　nor　ruler　of　any　sort？　Is　that　your　attitude；　or　do　you　admit
that　you　owe　allegience　to　somebody？

Lamp。　Yes；　certainly　I　owe　allegiance。

Soc。　May　I　take　it　that　you　are　willing　to　please　at　any　rate　your
neighbour；　so　that　he　may　kindle　a　fire　for　you　in　your　need；　may
prove　himself　a　ready　helpmate　in　good　fortune；　or　if　you　chance　on
evil　and　are　stumbling；　may　friendlily　stand　by　your　side　to　aid？

Lamp。　I　am　willing。

Soc。　Well；　and　what　of　that　other　chance　companionyour　fellow…
traveller　by　land　or　sea？　what　of　any　others；　you　may　light　upon？　is
it　indifferent　to　you　whether　these　be　friends　or　not；　or　do　you　admit
that　the　goodwill　of　these　is　worth　securing　by　some　pains　on　your
part？

Lamp。　I　do。

Soc。　It　stands　thus　then：　you　are　prepared　to　pay　attention　to　this；
that；　and　the　other　stranger；　but　to　your　mother　who　loves　you　more
than　all　else；　you　are　bound　to　render　no　service；　no　allegiance？　Do
you　not　know　that　whilst　the　state　does　not　concern　itself　with
ordinary　ingratitude　or　pass　judicial　sentence　on　it；　whilst　it
overlooks　the　thanklessness　of　those　who　fail　to　make　return　for
kindly　treatment；　it　reserves　its　pains　and　penalties　for　the　special
case？　If　a　man　render　not　the　service　and　allegiance　due　to　his
parents；　on　him　the　finger　of　the　law　is　laid；　his　name　is　struck　off
the　roll；　he　is　forbidden　to　hold　the　archonshipwhich　is　as　much　as
to　say；　〃Sacrifices　in　behalf　of　the　state　offered　by　such　a　man　would
be　no　offerings；　being　tainted　with　impiety；　nor　could　aught　else　be
'well　and　justly'　performed　of　which　he　is　the　doer。〃　Heaven　help　us！
If　a　man　fail　to　adorn　the　sepulchre　of　his　dead　parents　the　state
takes　cognisance　of　the　matter；　and　inquisition　is　made　in　the
scrutiny　of　the　magistrates。＇6＇　And　as　for　you；　my　son；　if　you　are　in
your　sober　senses；　you　will　earnestly　entreat　your　mother；　lest　the
very　gods　take　you　to　be　an　ungrateful　being；　and　on　their　side　also
refuse　to　do　you　good；　and　you　will　beware　of　men　also；　lest　they
should　perceive　your　neglect　of　your　parents；　and　with　one　consent
hold　you　in　dishonour；＇7＇　and　so　you　find　yourself　in　a　desert　devoid
of　friends。　For　if　once　the　notion　be　entertained　that　here　is　a　man
ungrateful　to　his　parents；　no　one　will　believe　that　any　kindness　shown
you　would　be　other　than　thrown　away。

＇6＇　Lit。　〃the　docimasia。〃　See　Gow；　〃Companion；〃　xiv。

＇7＇　〃Visiti　with　atimia。〃


III

At　another　time　the　differences　between　two　brothers　named　Chaerephon
and　Chaerecrates；　both　well　known　to　him；　had　drawn　his　attention；　and
on　seeing　the　younger　of　the　two　he　thus　addresed　him。

Soc。　Tell　me；　Chaerecrates；　you　are　not；　I　take　it；　one　of　those
strange　people　who　believe　that　goods　are　better　and　more　precious
than　a　brother；＇1＇　and　that　too　although　the　former　are　but　senseless
chattels　which　need　protection；　the　latter　a　sensitive　and　sensible
being　who　can　afford　it；　and　what　is　more；　he　is　himself　alone；　whilst
as　for　them　their　name　is　legion。　And　here　again　is　a　marvellous
thing：　that　a　man　should　count　his　brother　a　loss；　because　the　goods
of　his　brother　are　not　his；　but　he　does　not　count　his　fellow…citizens
loss；　and　yet　their　possessions　are　not　his；　only　it　seems　in　their
case　he　has　wits　to　see　that　to　dwell　securely　with　many　and　have
enough　is　better　than　to　own　the　whole　wealth　of　a　community　and　to
live　in　dangerous　isolation；　but　this　same　doctrine　as　applied　to
brothers　they　ignore。　Again；　if　a　man　have　the　means；　he　will　purchase
domestic　slaves；　because　he　wants　assistants　in　his　work；　he　will
acquire　friends；　because　he　needs　their　support；　but　this　brother　of
hiswho　cares　about　brothers？　It　seems　a　friend　may　be　discovered　in
an　ordinary　citizen；　but　not　in　a　blood　relation　who　is　also　a
brother。　And　yet　it　is　a　great　vantage…ground　towards　friendship　to
have　sprung　from　the　same　loins　and　to　have　been　suckled　at　the　same
breasts；　since　even　among　beasts　a　certain　natural　craving；　and
sympathy　springs　up　between　creatures　reared　together。＇2＇　Added　to
which；　a　man　who　has　brothers　commands　more　respect　from　the　rest　of
the　world　than　the　man　who　has　none；　and　who　must　fight　his　own
battles。＇3＇

＇1＇　Cf。　〃Merchant　of　Venice；〃　II。　viii。　17：　〃Justice！　the　law！　my
　　　　ducats；　and　my　daughter！〃

＇2＇　Or；　〃a　yearning　after　their　foster…brothers　manifests　itself　in
　　　　animals。〃　See　〃Cyrop。〃　VIII。　vii。　14　foll。　for　a　parallel　to　this
　　　　discussion。

＇3＇　Lit。　〃and　is　less　liable　to　hostility。〃

Chaer。　I　daresay；　Socrates；　where　the　differences　are　not　profound；
reason　would　a　man　should　bear　with　his　brother；　and　not　avoid　him　for
some　mere　trifle's　sake；　for　a　brother　of　the　right　sort　is；　as　you
say；　a　blessing；　but　if　he　be　the　very　antithesis　of　that；　why　should
a　man　lay　his　hand　to　achieve　the　impossible？

Soc。　Well　now；　tell　me；　is　there　nobody　whom　Chaerepho