the memorabilia-第36节

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Soc。　Well；　and　what　of　another　priceless　gift；　that　of　water；　which
conspires　with　earth　and　the　seasons　to　give　both　birth　and　increase
to　all　things　useful　to　us；　nay；　which　helps　to　nurture　our　very
selves；　and　commingling　with　all　that　feeds　us；　renders　it　more
digestible；　more　wholesome；　and　more　pleasant　to　the　taste；　and　mark
you　in　proportion　to　the　abundance　of　our　need　the　superabundance　of
its　supply。　What　say　you　concerning　such　a　boon？

Euth。　In　this　again　I　see　a　sign　of　providential　care。

Soc。　And　then　the　fact　that　the　same　heavenly　power　has　provided　us
with　fire＇11＇our　assistant　against　cold；　our　auxiliary　in　darkness；
our　fellow…workman　in　every　art　and　every　instrument　which　for　the
sake　of　its　utility　mortal　man　may　invent　or　furnish　himself　withal。
What　of　this；　since；　to　put　it　compendiously；　there　is　nothing
serviceable　to　the　life　of　man　worth　speaking　of　but　owes　its
fabrication　to　fire？＇12＇

＇11＇　Lit。　〃and　then　the　fact　that　they　made　provision　for　us　of　even
　　　　fire〃；　the　credit　of　this　boon；　according　to　Hesiod；　being　due　to
　　　　Prometheus。

＇12＇　Or；　〃no　life…aiding　appliance　worthy　of　the　name。〃

Euth。　Yes；　a　transcendent　instance　of　benevolent　design。＇13＇

＇13＇　Or；　〃Yes；　that　may　be　called　an　extreme　instance　of　the　divine
　　　　'philanthropy。'〃　Cf。　Cic。　〃de　N。　D。〃　ii。　62。

Soc。　Again；　consider　the　motions　of　the　Sun；＇14＇　how　when　he　has
turned　him　about　in　winter＇15＇　he　again　draws　nigh　to　us；　ripening
some　fruits；　and　causing　others　whose　time　is　past　to　dry　up；　how　when
he　has　fulfilled　his　work　he　comes　no　closer；　but　turns　away　as　if　in
fear　to　scorch　us　to　our　hurt　unduly；　and　again；　when　he　has　reached　a
point　where　if　he　should　prolong　his　reatreat　we　should　plainly　be
frozen　to　death　with　cold；　note　how　he　turns　him　about　and　resumes　his
approach；　traversing　that　region　of　the　heavens　where　he　may　shed　his
genial　influence　best　upon　us。

＇14＇　A　single　MS。　inserts　a　passage　｛to　de　kai　era　。　。　。
　　　　'Anekphraston｝。

＇15＇　i。e。　as　we　say；　〃after　the　winter　solstice。〃

Yes；　upon　my　word　（he　answered）；　these　occurrences　bear　the　impress　of
being　so　ordered　for　the　sake　of　man。

Soc。　And　then；　again；　it　being　manifest　that　we　could　not　endure
either　scorching　heat　or　freezing　cold　if　they　came　suddenly　upon　us；
note　how　gradually　the　sun　approaches；　and　how　gradually　recedes；　so
that　we　fail　to　notice　how　we　come　at　last　to　either　extreme。＇16＇

＇16＇　Or；　〃note　the　gradual　approach　and　gradual　recession　of　the　sun…
　　　　god；　so　gradual　that　we　reach　either　extreme　in　a　manner
　　　　imperceptibly；　and　before　we　are　aware　of　its　severity。〃

For　my　part　（he　replied）；　the　question　forces　itself　upon　my　mind；
whether　the　gods　have　any　other　occupation　save　only　to　minister　to
man；　and　I　am　only　hindered　from　saying　so；　because　the　rest　of
animals　would　seem　to　share　these　benefits　along　with　man。

Soc。　Why；　to　be　sure；　and　is　it　not　plain　that　these　animals
themselves　are　born　and　bred　for　the　sake　of　man？　At　any　rate；　no
living　creature　save　man　derives　so　many　of　his　enjoyments　from　sheep
and　goats；　horses　and　cattle　and　asses；　and　other　animals。　He　is　more
dependent；　I　should　suppose；　on　these　than　even　on　plants　and
vegetables。　At　any　rate；　equally　with　these　latter　they　serve　him　as
means　of　subsistence　or　articles　of　commerce；　indeed；　a　large　portion
of　the　human　family　do　not　use　the　products　of　the　soil　as　food　at
all；　but　live　on　the　milk　and　cheese　and　flesh　of　their　flocks　and
herds；　whilst　all　men　everywhere　tame　and　domesticate　the　more　useful
kinds　of　animals；　and　turn　them　to　account　as　fellow…workers　in　war
and　for　other　purposes。

Yes；　I　cannot　but　agree　with　what　you　say　（he　answered）；　when　I　see
that　animals　so　much　stronger　than　man　become　so　subservient　to　his
hand　that　he　can　use　them　as　he　lists。

Soc。　And　as　we　reflect　on　the　infinite　beauty　and　utility　and　the
variety　of　nature；　what　are　we　to　say　of　the　fact　that　man　has　been
endowed　with　sensibilities　which　correspond　with　this　diversity；
whereby　we　take　our　fill　of　every　blessing；＇17＇　or；　again；　this
implanted　faculty　of　reasoning；　which　enables　us　to　draw　inferences
concerning　the　things　which　we　perceive；　and　by　aid　of　memory　to
understand　how　each　set　of　things　may　be　turned　to　our　good；　and　to
devise　countless　contrivances　with　a　view　to　enjoying　the　good　and
repelling　the　evil；　or　lastly；　when　we　consider　the　faculty　bestowed
upon　us　of　interpretative　speech；　by　which　we　are　enabled　to　instruct
one　another；　and　to　participate　in　all　the　blessings　fore…named：　to
form　societies；　to　establish　laws；　and　to　enter　upon　a　civilised
existence＇18＇what　are　we　to　think？

＇17＇　Or；　〃Again；　when　we　consider　how　many　beautiful　objects　there　are
　　　　serviceable　to　man；　and　yet　how　unlike　they　are　to　one　another；
　　　　the　fact　that　man　has　been　endowed　with　senses　adapted　to　each
　　　　class　of　things；　and　so　has　access　to　a　world　of　happiness。〃

＇18＇　Cf。　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　III。　ix。　5。

Euth。　Yes；　Socrates；　decidely　it　would　appear　that　the　gods　do
manifest　a　great　regard；　nay；　a　tender　care；　towards　mankind。

Soc。　Well；　and　what　do　you　make　of　the　fact　that　where　we　are
powerless　to　take　advantageous　forethought　for　our　future；　at　this
stage　they　themselves　lend　us　their　co…operation；　imparting　to　the
inquirer　through　divination　knowledge　of　events　about　to　happen；　and
instructing　him　by　what　means　they　may　best　be　turned　to　good　account？

Euth。　Ay；　and　you；　Socrates；　they　would　seem　to　treat　in　a　more
friendly　manner　still　than　the　rest　of　men；　if；　without　waiting　even
to　be　inquired　of　by　you；　they　show　you　by　signs　beforehand　what　you
must；　and　what　you　must　not　do。＇19＇

＇19＇　See　above；　I。　iv。　14；　for　a　parallel　to　the　train　of　thought　on
　　　　the　part　of　Aristodemus　〃the　little；〃　and　of　Euthydemus；　and　for
　　　　Socrates'　｛daimonion｝；　see　above；　Grote；　〃Plato；〃　i。　400。

Soc。　Yes；　and　you　will　discover　for　youself　the　truth　of　what　I　say；
if；　without　waiting　to　behold　the　outward　and　visible　forms＇20＇　of　the
gods　themselves；　you　will　be　content　to　behold　their　works；　and　with
these　before　you；　to　worship　and　honour　the　Divine　authors　of
them。＇21＇　I　would　have　you　reflect　that　the　very　gods　themselves
suggest　this　teaching。＇22＇　Not　one　of　these　but　gives　us　freely　of　his
blessings；　yet　they　do　not　step　from　behind　their　veil　in　order　to
grant　one　single　boon。＇23＇　And　pre…eminently　He　who　orders　and　holds
together　the　universe；＇24＇　in　which　are　all　things　beautiful　and
good；＇25＇　who　fashions　and　refashions　it　to　never…ending　use　unworn；
keeping　it　free　from　sickness　or　decay；＇26＇　so　that　swifter　than
thought　it　ministers　to　his　will　unerringlythis　God　is　seen　to
perform　the　mightiest　operations；　but　in　the　actual　administration　of
the　same　abides　himself　invisible　to　mortal　ken。　Reflect　further；　this
Sun　above　our　heads；　so　visible　to　allas　we　supposewill　not　suffer
man　to　regard　him　too　narrowly；　but　should　any　essay　to　watch　him　with
a　shameless　stare　he　will　snatch　away　their　power　of　vision。　And　if
the　gods　themselves　are　thus　unseen；　so　too　shall　you　find　their
ministers　to　be　hidden　also；　from　the　height　of　heaven　above　the
thunderbolt　is　plainly　hurled；　and　triumphs　over　all　that　it
encounters；　yet　it　is　all…invisible；　no　eye　may　detect　its　coming　or
its　going　at　the　moment　of　its　swoop。　The　winds　also　are　themselves
unseen；　though　their　works　are　manifest；　and　through　their　approach　we
are　aware　of　them。　And　let　us　not　forget；　the　soul　of　man　himself；
which　if　aught　else　human　shares　in　the　divinehowever　manifestly
enthroned　within　our　bosom；　is　as　wholly　as　the　rest　hidden　from　our
gaze。　These　things　you　should　lay　to　mind；　and　not　despise　the
invisible　ones；　but　learn　to　recognise　their　power；　as　revealed　in
outward　things；　and　to　know　the　divine　influence。＇27＇

＇20＇　Cf。　Cic。　〃de　N。　D。〃　I。　xii。　31；　Lactantius；　〃de　Ira；〃　xi。　13。

＇21＇　See　L。　Dindorf　ad　loc。　（ed。　Ox。　1862）；　｛theous｝；　G。　Sauppe；　vol。
　　　　iii。　〃An。　crit。〃　p。　xxix；　R。　Kuhner；　C。　Schenkl。

＇22＇　i。e。　〃that　man　must　walk　by　faith。〃　For　｛upodeiknunai｝　cf。
　　　　〃Econ。〃　xii。　18。

＇23＇　Schneid。　cf。　Plat。　〃Crat。〃　396。

＇24＇　Or；　〃the　co…ordinator　and　container　of　the　universe。〃

＇25＇　Or；　〃in　whom　all　beauty　and　goodness　is。〃

＇26＇　Cf。　〃Cyrop。〃　VIII。　vii。　22；　above；　I。　iv。　13。

＇27＇　｛to　daimonion｝；　the　divinity。

Nay；　Socrates　（replied　Euthydemus）；　there　is　no　danger　I　shall　turn　a
deaf　ear　to　the　divine　influence　even　a　little；　of　that　I　am　not
afraid；　but　I　am　out　of　heart　to　think　that　no　soul　of　man　may　ever
requite　the　kindness　of　the　gods　with　fitting　gratitude。

Be　not　out　of　heart　because　of　that　（he　said）；　you　know　what　answer
the　god　at　Delphi　makes　to　each　one　who　comes　asking　〃how　shall　I
return　thanks　to　heaven？〃〃According　to　the　law　and　custom　of　your
city〃；　and　this；　I　presume；　is　law　and　custom　everywhere　that　a　man
should　please　the　gods　with　offerings　according　to　the　ability　which
is　in　him。＇28＇　How　then　should　a　man　honour　the　gods　with　more
beautiful　or　holier　honour　than　by　doing　what　they　bid　him？　but　he
must　in　no　wise　slacken　or　fall　short　of　his　ability；　for　when　a　man
so　does；　it　is　manifest；