the memorabilia-第38节

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terms？

Soc。　I　do。

I　ask　（Hippias　added）；　for　I　do　not　perceive　what　you　mean　by　lawful；
nor　what　you　mean　by　just。＇23＇

＇23＇　Lit。　〃what　sort　of　lawful　or　what　sort　of　just　is　spoken　of。〃

Soc。　You　understand　what　is　meant　by　laws　of　a　city　or　state？

Yes　（he　answered）。

Soc。　What　do　you　take　them　to　be？

Hipp。　The　several　enactments　drawn　up　by　the　citizens　or　members　of　a
state　in　agreement　as　to　what　things　should　be　done　or　left　undone。

Then　I　presume　（Socrates　continued）　that　a　member　of　a　state　who
regulates　his　life　in　accordance　with　these　enactments　will　be　law…
abiding；　while　the　transgressor　of　the　same　will　be　law…less？

Certainly　（he　answered）。

Soc。　And　I　presume　the　law…loving　citizen　will　do　what　is　just　and
right；　while　the　lawless　man　will　do　what　is　unjust　and　wrong？

Hipp。　Certainly。

Soc。　And　I　presume　that　he　who　does　what　is　just　is　just；　and　he　who
does　what　is　unjust　is　unjust？

Hipp。　Of　course。

Soc。　It　would　appear；　then；　that　the　law…loving　man　is　just；　and　the
lawless　unjust？

Then　Hippias：　Well；　but　laws；　Socrates；　how　should　any　one　regard　as　a
serious　matter　either　the　laws　themselves；　or　obedience　to　them；　which
laws　the　very　people　who　made　them　are　perpetually　rejecting　and
altering？

Which　is　also　true　of　war　（Socrates　replied）；　cities　are　perpetually
undertaking　war　and　then　making　peace　again。

Most　true　（he　answered）。

Soc。　If　so；　what　is　the　difference　between　depreciating　obedience　to
law　because　laws　will　be　repealed；　and　depreciating　good　discipline　in
war　because　peace　will　one　day　be　made？　But　perhaps　you　object　to
enthusiasm　displayed　in　defence　of　one's　home　and　fatherland　in　war？

No；　indeed　I　do　not！　I　heartily　approve　of　it　（he　answered）。

Soc。　Then　have　you　laid　to　heart　the　lesson　taught　by　Lycurgus　to　the
Lacedaemonians；＇24＇　and　do　you　understand　that　if　he　succeeded　in
giving　Sparta　a　distinction　above　other　states；　it　was　only　by
instilling　into　her；　beyond　all　else；　a　spirit　of　obedience　to　the
laws？　And　among　magistrates　and　rulers　in　the　different　states；　you
would　scarcely　refuse　the　palm　of　superiority　to　those　who　best
contribute　to　make　their　fellow…citizens　obedient　to　the　laws？　And　you
would　admit　that　any　particular　state　in　which　obedience　to　the　laws
is　the　paramount　distinction　of　the　citizens　flourishes　most　in　peace
time；　and　in　time　of　war　is　irresistible？　But；　indeed；　of　all　the
blessings　which　a　state　may　enjoy；　none　stands　higher　than　the
blessing　of　unanimity。　〃Concord　among　citizens〃that　is　the　constant
theme　of　exhortation　emphasised　by　the　councils　of　elders＇25＇　and　by
the　choice　spirits　of　the　community；＇26＇　at　all　times　and　everywhere
through　the　length　and　breadth　of　all　Hellas　it　is　an　established　law
that　the　citizens　be　bound　together　by　an　oath　of　concord；＇27＇
everywhere　they　do　actually　swear　this　oath；　not　of　course　as　implying
that　citizens　shall　all　vote　for　the　same　choruses；　or　give　their
plaudits　to　the　same　flute…players；　or　choose　the　same　poets；　or　limit
themselves　to　the　same　pleasures；　but　simply　that　they　shall　pay
obedience　to　the　laws；　since　in　the　end　that　state　will　prove　most
powerful　and　most　prosperous　in　which　the　citizens　abide　by　these；　but
without　concord　neither　can　a　state　be　well　administered　nor　a
household　well　organised。

＇24＇　Cf。　〃Pol。　Lac。〃　viii。　See　Newman；　op。　cit。　i。　396。

＇25＇　Lit。　〃the　Gerousiai。〃　｛S｝　or　｛X　S｝　uses　the　Spartan　phraseology。

＇26＇　Lit。　〃the　best　men。〃　｛S｝　or　｛X　S｝　speaks　as　an　〃aristocrat。〃

＇27＇　Cf。　〃Hell。〃　II。　iv。　43；　Lys。　xxv。　21　foll。；　Schneid。　cf。　Lycurg。
　　　　〃u　Leocr。〃　189。

And　if　we　turn　to　private　life；　what　better　protection　can　a　man　have
than　obedience　to　the　laws？　This　shall　be　his　safeguard　against
penalties；　his　guarantee　of　honours　at　the　hands　of　the　community；　it
shall　be　a　clue　to　thread　his　way　through　the　mazes　of　the　law　courts
unbewildered；　secure　against　defeat；　assured　of　victory。＇28＇　It　is　to
him；　the　law…loving　citizen；　that　men　will　turn　in　confidence　when
seeking　a　guardian　of　the　most　sacred　deposits；　be　it　of　money　or　be
it　their　sons　or　daughters。　He；　in　the　eyes　of　the　state　collectively；
is　trustworthyhe　and　no　other；　who　alone　may　be　depended　on　to
render　to　all　alike　their　duesto　parents　and　kinsmen　and　servants；
to　friends　and　fellow…citizens　and　foreigners。　This　is　he　whom　the
enemy　will　soonest　trust　to　arrange　an　armistice；　or　a　truce；　or　a
treaty　of　peace。　They　would　like　to　become　the　allies　of　this　man；　and
to　fight　on　his　side。　This　is　he　to　whom　the　allies＇29＇　of　his　country
will　most　confidently　entrust　the　command　of　their　forces；　or　of　a
garrison；　or　their　states　themselves。　This；　again；　is　he　who　may　be
counted　on　to　recompense　kindness　with　gratitude；　and　who；　therefore；
is　more　sure　of　kindly　treatment　than　another　whose　sense　of　gratitude
is　fuller。＇30＇　The　most　desirable　among　friends；　the　enemy　of　all
others　to　be　avoided；　clearly　he　is　not　the　person　whom　a　foreign
state　would　choose　to　go　to　war　with；　encompassed　by　a　host　of　friends
and　exempt　from　foes；　his　very　character　has　a　charm　to　compel
friendship　and　alliance；　and　before　him　hatred　and　hostility　melt
away。

＇28＇　Or；　〃ignorant　of　hostile；　assured　of　favourable　verdict。〃

＇29＇　Lit。　〃the　Allies；〃　e。g。　of　Sparta　or　of　Athens；　etc。

＇30＇　Lit。　〃From　whom　may　the　doer　of　a　deed　of　kindness　more
　　　　confidently　expect　the　recompense　of　gratitude　than　from　your
　　　　lover　of　the　law？　and　whom　would　one　select　as　the　recipient　of
　　　　kindness　rather　than　a　man　susceptible　of　gratitude？〃

And　now；　Hippias；　I　have　done　my　part；　that　is　my　proof　and
demonstration　that　the　〃lawful〃　and　〃law…observant〃　are　synonymous
with　the　〃upright〃　and　the　〃just〃；　do　you；　if　you　hold　a　contrary
view；　instruct　us。＇31＇

＇31＇　For　the　style　of　this　enconium　（of　the　｛nomimos｝）　cf。　〃Ages。〃　i。
　　　　36；　and　for　the　〃Socratic〃　reverence　for　law　cf。　Plat。　〃Crito。〃

Then　Hippias：　Nay；　upon　my　soul；　Socrates；　I　am　not　aware　of　holding
any　contrary　opinion　to　what　you　have　uttered　on　the　theme　of
justice。＇32＇

＇32＇　Lit。　〃the　just　and　upright；〃　｛tou　dikaiou｝。

Soc。　But　now；　are　you　aware；　Hippias；　of　certain　unwritten　laws？＇33＇

＇33＇　See　Soph。　〃Antig。〃　〃Oed。　T。〃　865；　and　Prof。　Jebb　ad　loc。；　Dem。
　　　　〃de　Cor。〃　317；　23；　Aristot。　〃Rhet。〃　I。　xiii。

Yes　（he　answered）；　those　held　in　every　part　of　the　world；　and　in　the
same　sense。

Can　you　then　assert　（asked　Socrates）　of　these　unwritten　laws　that　men
made　them？

Nay；　how　（he　answered）　should　that　be；　for　how　could　they　all　have
come　together　from　the　ends　of　the　earth？　and　even　if　they　had　so
done；　men　are　not　all　of　one　speech？＇34＇

＇34＇　Or；　〃there　would　be　difficulty　of　understanding　each　other；　and　a
　　　　babel　of　tongues。〃

Soc。　Whom　then　do　you　believe　to　have　been　the　makers　of　these　laws。

Hipp。　For　my　part；　I　think　that　the　gods　must　have　made　these　laws　for
men；　and　I　take　it　as　proof　that　first　and　foremost　it　is　a　law　and
custom　everywhere　to　worship　and　reverence　the　gods。

Soc。　And；　I　presume；　to　honour　parents　is　also　customary　everywhere？

Yes；　that　too　（he　answered）。

Soc。　And；　I　presume；　also　the　prohibition　of　intermarriage　between
parents　and　children？

Hipp。　No；　at　that　point　I　stop；　Socrates。　That　does　not　seem　to　me　to
be　a　law　of　God。

Now；　why？　（he　asked）。

Because　I　perceive　it　is　not　infrequently　transgressed　（he
answered）。＇35＇

＇35＇　Or；　〃as　I　perceive；　it　is　not　of　universal　application；　some
　　　　transgress　it。〃

Soc。　Well；　but　there　are　a　good　many　other　things　which　people　do
contrary　to　law；　only　the　penalty；　I　take　it；　affixed　to　the
transgression　of　the　divine　code　is　certain；　there　is　no　escape　for
the　offender　after　the　manner　in　which　a　man　may　transgress　the　laws
of　man　with　impunity；　slipping　through　the　fingers　of　justice　by
stealth；　or　avoiding　it　by　violence。

Hipp。　And　what　is　the　inevitable　penalty　paid　by　those　who；　being
related　as　parents　and　children；　intermingle　in　marriage？

Soc。　The　greatest　of　all　penalties；　for　what　worse　calamity　can　human
beings　suffer　in　the　production　of　offspring　than　to　misbeget？＇36＇

＇36＇　Or；　〃in　the　propagation　of　the　species　than　to　produce
　　　　misbegotten　children。〃

Hipp。　But　how　or　why　should　they　breed　them　ill　where　nothing　hinders
them；　being　of　a　good　stock　themselves　and　producing　from　stock　as
good？

Soc。　Because；　forsooth；　in　order　to　produce　good　children；　it　is　not
simply　necessary　that　the　parents　should　be　good　and　of　a　good　stock；
but　that　both　should　be　equally　in　the　prime　and　vigour　of　their
bodies。＇37＇　Do　you　suppose　that　the　seed　of　those　who　are　at　their
prime　is　like　theirs　who　either　have　not　yet　reached　their　prime；　or
whose　prime　has　passed？

＇37＇　Cf。　Plat。　〃Laws；〃　viii。　839　A；　Herbst；　etc。；　cf。　Grotius；　〃de
　　　　Jure；〃　ii。　5；　xii。　4。

Hipp。　No；　it　is　reasonable　to　expect　that　the　seed　will　differ。

Soc。　And　for　the　betterwhich？

Hipp。　Theirs　clearly　who　are　at　their　prime。

Soc。　It　would　seem　that　the　seed　of　those　who　are　not　yet　in　their
prime　or　have　passed　their　prime　is　not　good？

Hipp。　It　seems　most　improbable　it　should　be。

Soc。　Then　the　right　way　to　produce　children