the memorabilia-第30节

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drag　on　a　miserable　existence　in　want　of　the　barest　necessaries　until
death　release　them。　Many　also　are　they　who　gain　an　evil　repute　through
infirmity　of　body；　being　thought　to　play　the　coward。　Can　it　be　that
you　despise　these　penalties　affixed　to　an　evil　habit？　Do　you　think　you
could　lightly　endure　them？　Far　lighter；　I　imagine；　nay；　pleasant　even
by　comparison；　are　the　toils　which　he　will　undergo　who　duly　cultivates
a　healthy　bodily　condition。　Or　do　you　maintain　that　the　evil　habit　is
healthier；　and　in　general　more　useful　than　the　good？　Do　you　pour
contempt　upon　those　blessings　which　flow　from　the　healthy　state？　And
yet　the　very　opposite　of　that　which　befalls　the　ill　attends　the　sound
condition。　Does　not　the　very　soundness　imply　at　once　health　and
strength？＇5＇　Many　a　man　with　no　other　talisman　than　this　has　passed
safely　through　the　ordeal　of　war；　stepping；　not　without　dignity；＇6＇
through　all　its　horrors　unscathed。　Many　with　no　other　support　than
this　have　come　to　the　rescue　of　friends；　or　stood　forth　as　benefactors
of　their　fatherland；　whereby　they　were　thought　worthy　of　gratitude；
and　obtained　a　great　renown　and　received　as　a　recompense　the　highest
honours　of　the　State；　to　whom　is　also　reserved　a　happier　and　brighter
passage　through　what　is　left　to　them　of　life；　and　at　their　death　they
leave　to　their　children　the　legacy　of　a　fairer　starting…point　in　the
race　of　life。

＇3＇　Or；　〃should　chance　betide。〃　Is　the　author　thinking　of　a　life…and…
　　　　death　struggle　with　Thebes？

＇4＇　e。g。　the　prisoners　in　the　Latomiae。　Thuc。　vii。　87。

＇5＇　It　is　almost　a　proverb〃Sound　of　body　and　limb　is　hale　and
　　　　strong。〃　〃Qui　valet　praevalebit。〃

＇6＇　e。g。　Socrates　himself；　according　to　Alcibiades；　ap。　Plat。　〃Symp。〃
　　　　221　B；　and　for　the　word　｛euskhemonos｝　see　Arist。　〃Wasps；〃　1210；
　　　　〃like　a　gentleman〃；　L。　and　S。；　〃Cyr。〃　I。　iii。　8；　Aristot。　〃Eth。
　　　　N。〃　i。　10；　13；　〃gracefully。〃

Because　our　city　does　not　practise　military　training　in　public；＇7＇
that　is　no　reason　for　neglecting　it　in　private；　but　rather　a　reason
for　making　it　a　foremost　care。　For　be　you　assured　that　there　is　no
contest　of　any　sort；　nor　any　transaction；　in　which　you　will　be　the
worse　off　for　being　well　prepared　in　body；　and　in　fact　there　is
nothing　which　men　do　for　which　the　body　is　not　a　help。　In　every
demand；　therefore；　which　can　be　laid　upon　the　body　it　is　much　better
that　it　should　be　in　the　best　condition；　since；　even　where　you　might
imagine　the　claims　upon　the　body　to　be　slightestin　the　act　of
reasoningwho　does　not　know　the　terrible　stumbles　which　are　made
through　being　out　of　health？　It　suffices　to　say　that　forgetfulness；
and　despondency；　and　moroseness；　and　madness　take　occasion　often　of
ill…health　to　visit　the　intellectual　faculties　so　severely　as　to　expel
all　knowledge＇8＇　from　the　brain。　But　he　who　is　in　good　bodily　plight
has　large　security。　He　runs　no　risk　of　incurring　any　such　catastrophe
through　ill…health　at　any　rate；　he　has　the　expectation　rather　that　a
good　habit　must　procure　consequences　the　opposite　to　those　of　an　evil
habit；＇9＇　and　surely　to　this　end　there　is　nothing　a　man　in　his　senses
would　not　undergo。　。　。　。　It　is　a　base　thing　for　a　man　to　wax　old　in
careless　self…neglect　before　he　has　lifted　up　his　eyes　and　seen　what
manner　of　man　he　was　made　to　be；　in　the　full　perfection　of　bodily
strength　and　beauty。　But　these　glories　are　withheld　from　him　who　is
guilty　of　self…neglect；　for　they　are　not　wont　to　blaze　forth
unbidden。＇10＇

＇7＇　Cf。　〃Pol。　Ath。〃　i。　13；　and　above；　III。　v。　15。

＇8＇　Or；　〃whole　branches　of　knowledge〃　（｛tas　epistemas｝）。

＇9＇　Or；　〃he　may　well　hope　to　be　insured　by　his　good　habit　against　the
　　　　evils　attendant　on　its　opposite。〃

＇10＇　Or；　〃to　present　themselves　spontaneously。〃


XII

Once　when　some　one　was　in　a　fury　of　indignation　because　he　had　bidden
a　passer…by　good…day　and　the　salutation　was　not　returned；　Socrates
said：　〃It　is　enough　to　make　one　laugh！　If　you　met　a　man　in　a　wretched
condition　of　body；　you　would　not　fall　into　a　rage；　but　because　you
stumble　upon　a　poor　soul　somewhat　boorishly　disposed；　you　feel
annoyed。〃

To　the　remark　of　another　who　complained　that　he　did　not　take　his　foot
with　pleasure；　he　said：　〃Acumenus＇1＇　has　a　good　prescription　for
that。〃　And　when　the　other　asked：　〃And　what　may　that　be？〃　〃To　stop
eating；〃　he　said。　〃On　the　score　of　pleasure；　economy；　and　health；
total　abstinence　has　much　in　its　favour。〃＇2＇

＇1＇　A　well…known　physician。　See　Plat。　〃Phaedr。〃　227　A；　269　A；　〃Symp。〃
　　　　176　B。　A　similar　story　is　told　of　Dr。　Abernethy；　I　think。

＇2＇　Lit。　〃he　would　live　a　happier；　thriftier；　and　healthier　life；　if
　　　　he　stopped　eating。〃

And　when　some　one　else　lamented　that　〃the　drinking…water　in　his　house
was　hot；〃　he　replied：　〃Then　when　you　want　a　warm　bath　you　will　not
have　to　wait。〃

The　Other。　But　for　bathing　purposes　it　is　cold。

Soc。　Do　you　find　that　your　domestics　seem　to　mind　drinking　it　or
washing　in　it？

The　Other。　Quite　the　reverse；　it　is　a　constant　marvel　to　me　how
contentedly　they　use　it　for　either　purpose。

Soc。　Which　is　hotter　to　the　tastethe　water　in　your　house　or　the　hot
spring　in　the　temple　of　Asclepius？＇3＇

＇3＇　In　the　Hieron　at　Epidauros　probably。　See　Baedeker；　〃Greece；〃　p。
　　　　240　foll。

The　Other。　The　water　in　the　temple　of　Asclepius。

Soc。　And　which　is　colder　for　bathingyours　or　the　cold　spring　in　the
cave　of　Amphiaraus？＇4＇

＇4＇　Possibly　at　Oropos。　Cf。　Paus。　i。　34。　3。

The　Other。　The　water　in　the　cave　of　Amphiaraus。

Soc。　Then　please　to　observe：　if　you　do　not　take　care；　they　will　set
you　down　as　harder　to　please　than　a　domestic　servant　or　an　invalid。＇5＇

＇5＇　i。e。　〃the　least　and　the　most　fastidious　of　men。〃

A　man　had　administered　a　severe　whipping　to　the　slave　in　attendance　on
him；　and　when　Socrates　asked：　〃Why　he　was　so　wroth　with　his　own
serving…man？〃　excused　himself　on　the　ground　that　〃the　fellow　was　a
lazy；　gourmandising；　good…for…nothing　doltfonder　of　money　than　of
work。〃　To　which　Socrates：　〃Did　it　ever　strike　you　to　consider　which　of
the　two　in　that　case　the　more　deserves　a　whippingthe　master　or　the
man？〃

When　some　one　was　apprehending　the　journey　to　Olympia；　〃Why　are　you
afraid　of　the　long　distance？〃　he　asked。　〃Here　at　home　you　spend　nearly
all　your　day　in　taking　walks。＇6＇　Well；　on　your　road　to　Olympia　you
will　take　a　walk　and　breakfast；　and　then　you　will　take　another　walk
and　dine；　and　go　to　bed。　Do　you　not　see；　if　you　take　and　tack　together
five　or　six　days'　length　of　walks；　and　stretch　them　out　in　one　long
line；　it　will　soon　reach　from　Athens　to　Olympia？　I　would　recommend
you；　however；　to　set　off　a　day　too　soon　rather　than　a　day　too　late。　To
be　forced　to　lengthen　the　day's　journey　beyond　a　reasonable　amount　may
well　be　a　nuisance；　but　to　take　one　day's　journey　beyond　what　is
necessary　is　pure　relaxation。　Make　haste　to　start；　I　say；　and　not
while　on　the　road。〃＇7＇

＇6＇　｛peripateis｝；　〃promenading　up　and　down。〃

＇7＇　〃Festina　lente〃that　is　your　motto。

When　some　one　else　remarked　〃he　was　utterly　prostrated　after　a　long
journey；〃　Socrates　asked　him：　〃Had　he　had　any　baggage　to　carry？〃

〃Not　I；〃　replied　the　complainer；　〃only　my　cloak。〃

Soc。　Were　you　travelling　alone；　or　was　your　man…servant　with　you？

He。　Yes；　I　had　my　man。

Soc。　Empty…handed；　or　had　he　something　to　carry？

He。　Of　course；　carrying　my　rugs　and　other　baggage。

Soc。　And　how　did　he　come　off　on　the　journey？

He。　Better　than　I　did　myself；　I　take　it。

Soc。　Well；　but　now　suppose　you　had　had　to　carry　his　baggage；　what
would　your　condition　have　been　like？

He。　Sorry　enough；　I　can　tell　you；　or　rather；　I　could　not　have　carried
it　at　all。

Soc。　What　a　confession！　Fancy　being　capable　of　so　much　less　toil　than
a　poor　slave　boy！　Does　that　sound　like　the　perfection　of　athletic
training？


XIV

On　the　occasion　of　a　common　dinner…party＇1＇　where　some　of　the　company
would　present　themselves　with　a　small；　and　others　with　a　large　supply
of　viands；　Socrates　would　bid　the　servants＇2＇　throw　the　small　supplies
into　the　general　stock；　or　else　to　help　each　of　the　party　to　a　share
all　round。　Thus　the　grand　victuallers　were　ashamed　in　the　one　case　not
to　share　in　the　common　stock；　and　in　the　other　not　to　throw　in　their
supplies　also。＇3＇　Accordingly　in　went　the　grand　supplies　into　the
common　stock。　And　now；　being　no　better　off　than　the　small
contributors；　they　soon　ceased　to　cater　for　expensive　delicacies。

＇1＇　For　the　type　of　entertainment　see　Becker；　〃Charicles；〃　p。　315
　　　　（Eng。　tr。）

＇2＇　〃The　boy。〃

＇3＇　Or；　〃were　ashamed　not　to　follow　suit　by　sharing　in　the　common
　　　　stock　and　contributing　their　own　portion。〃

At　a　supper…party　one　member　of　the　company；　as　Socrates　chanced　to
note；　had　put　aside　the　plain　fare　and　was　devoting　himself　to　certain
dainties。＇4＇　A　discussion　was　going　on　about　names　and　definitions；
and　the　proper　applications　of　terms　to　things。＇5＇　Whereupon　Socrates；
appealing　to　the　company：　〃Can　we　explain　why　we　call　a　man　a　'dainty
fellow'？　What　is　the　particular　action　to　which　the　term　applies？＇6＇
since　every　one　adds　some　dainty　to　his　food　when　he　can　get　it。＇7＇
But　we　have　not　quite　hit　the　definition　yet；　I　think。　Are　we　to　be
called　dainty　eaters　beca