the memorabilia(纪念品)-第39节
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achieves； in fact； what is best upon the grandest scale。 But leave him in
boorish ignorance untrained； and he will prove not only very bad but very
mischievous；＇7＇ and for this reason； that lacking the knowledge to discern
what is right to do； he will frequently lay his hand to villainous practices；
whilst the very magnificence and vehemence of his character render it
impossible either to rein him in or to turn him aside from his evil courses。
Hence in his case also his achievements are on the grandest scale but of
the worst。＇8＇
＇4＇ Or； 〃His method of attack was not indeed uniformly the same。 It
varied with the individual。〃
＇5＇ Or； 〃If any one was disposed to look down upon learning and study
in reliance upon his own natural ability； he tried to lesson him that it
is just the highly…gifted nature which stands；〃 etc。 See Newman； op。
cit。 i。 397。
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＇6＇ Cf。 Aristot。 〃H。 A。〃 ix。 1； and 〃Hunting；〃 iii。 11。
＇7＇ Or； 〃and the same man may easily become a master villain of the
most dangerous sort。〃
＇8＇ Kuhner ad loc。 after Fr。 Hermann cf。 Plato。 〃Crito；〃 44 E； 〃Hipp。
min。〃 375 E； 〃Rep。〃 vi。 491 E； 〃Gorg。〃 526 A； 〃Polit。〃 303 A。
Or to take the type of person so eaten up with the pride of riches that
he conceives himself dispensed from any further need of education since
it is 〃money makes the man；〃 and his wealth will amply suffice him to
carry out his desires and to win honours from admiring humanity。＇9＇
Socrates would bring such people to their senses by pointing out the folly
of supposing that without instruction it was possible to draw the line of
demarcation＇10＇ between what is gainful and what is hurtful in conduct；
and the further folly of supposing that； apart from such discrimination； a
man could help himself by means of wealth alone to whatever he liked or
find the path of expediency plain before him； and was it not the veriest
simplicity to suppose that； without the power of labouring profitably； a
man can either be doing well or be in any sort of way sufficiently
equipped for the battle of life？ and again； the veriest simplicity to suppose
that by mere wealth without true knowledge it was possible either to
purchase a reputation for some excellence； or without such reputation to
gain distinction and celebrity？
＇9＇ Or； 〃and to be honoured by mankind。〃
＇10＇ Or； 〃that without learning the distinction it was possible to
distinguish between；〃 etc。
II
Or to come to a third kindthe class of people who are persuaded that
they have received the best education； and are proud of their wisdom： his
manner of dealing with these I will now describe。
Euthydemus＇1＇ 〃the beautiful〃 had （Socrates was given to understand）
collected a large library； consisting of the most celebrated poets and
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philosophers；＇2＇ by help of which he already believed himself to be more
than a match for his fellows in wisdom； and indeed might presently expect
to out…top them all in capacity of speech and action。＇3＇ At first； as Socrates
noted； the young man by reason of his youth had not as yet set foot in the
agora；＇4＇ but if he had anything to transact； his habit was to seat himself in
a saddler's shop hard by。 Accordingly to this same saddler's shop Socrates
betook himself with some of those who were with him。 And first the
question was started by some one： 〃Was it through consorting with the
wise；＇5＇ or by his own unaided talent； that Themistocles came so to
surpass his fellow…citizens that when the services of a capable man were
needed the eyes of the whole community instinctively turned to him？〃
Socrates； with a view to stirring＇6＇ Euthydemus； answered： There was
certainly an ingenuous simplicity in the belief that superiority in arts of
comparatively little worth could only be attained by aid of qualified
teachers； but that the leadership of the state； the most important concern of
all； was destined to drop into the lap of anybody； no matter whom； like an
accidental windfall。＇7＇
＇1＇ Euthydemus； the son of Diocles perhaps。 See Plat。 〃Symp。〃 222 B；
and Jowet ad loc。； Cobet； 〃Prosop。 Xen。〃 s。n。； K。 Joel； op。 cit。 p。 372
foll。 For ｛ton kalon｝ cf。 〃Phaedr。〃 278 E； 〃Isocrates the fair。〃 For the
whole chapter cf。 Plat。 〃Alc。〃 i。； 〃Lys。〃 210 E。 See above； 〃Mem。〃 I。
ii。 29； Grote； 〃Plato；〃 i。 ch。 x。 passim。
＇2＇ Lit。 〃sophists。〃 See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 viii。 p。 480； note。 For
private libraries see Becker； 〃Char。〃 p。 272 foll。 （Eng。 tr。）
＇3＇ See 〃Hipparch；〃 i。 24； 〃Cyrop。〃 V。 v。 46。
＇4＇ See above； III。 vi。 1； Schneid。 cf。 Isocr。 〃Areop。〃 149 C。
＇5＇ Cf。 Soph。 fr。 12； ｛sophoi turannoi ton sophon xunousia｝。
＇6＇ L。 and S。 cf。 Plat。 〃Lys。〃 223 A； 〃Rep。〃 329 B： 〃Wishing to draw
him out。〃
＇7＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Alc。〃 i。 118 C： 〃And Pericles is said not to have got
his wisdom by the light of nature； but to have associated with several
of the philosophers〃 （Jowett）。
On a subsequent occasion； Euthydemus being present； though； as was
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plain to see； somewhat disposed to withdraw from the friendly
concourse；＇8＇ as if he would choose anything rather than appear to admire
Socrates on the score of wisdom； the latter made the following remarks。
＇8＇ ｛sunedrias｝； 〃the council。〃
Soc。 It is clear from his customary pursuits； is it not； sirs； that when
our friend Euthydemus here is of full age； and the state propounds some
question for solution； he will not abstain from offering the benefit of his
advice？ One can imagine the pretty exordium to his parliamentary
speeches which； in his anxiety not to be thought to have learnt anything
from anybody； he has ready for the occasion。＇9＇ Clearly at the outset he
will deliver himself thus： 〃Men of Athens； I have never at any time learnt
anything from anybody； nor； if I have ever heard of any one as being an
able statesman； well versed in speech and capable of action； have I sought
to come across him individually。 I have not so much as been at pains to
provide muself with a teacher from amongst those who have
knowledge；＇10＇ on the contrary； I have persistently avoided； I will not say
learning from others； but the very faintest suspicion of so doing。 However；
anything that occurs to me by the light of nature I shall be glad to place at
your disposal。〃 。 。 。 How appropriate＇11＇ would such a preface sound on
the lips of any one seeking； say； the office of state physician；＇12＇ would it
not？ How advantageously he might begin an address on this wise： 〃Men of
Athens； I have never learnt the art of healing by help of anybody； nor have
I sought to provide myself with any teacher among medical men。 Indeed；
to put it briefly； I have been ever on my guard not only against learning
anything from the profession； but against the very notion of having studied
medicine at all。 If； however； you will be so good as to confer on me this
post； I promise I will do my best to acquire skill by experimenting on your
persons。〃 Every one present laughed at the exordium （and there the matter
dropped）。
＇9＇ Or； 〃the pretty exordium 。 。 。 now in course of conposition。 He
must at all hazards avoid the suspicion of having picked up any
crumb of learning from anybody； how can he help therefore
beginning his speech thus？〃
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＇10＇ Or； 〃scientific experts。〃
＇11＇ Al。 〃Just as if one seeking the office of state physician were to
begin with a like exordium。〃 ｛armoseie｝ = 〃it would be consistent
（with what has gone before）。〃
＇12＇ Schneider cf。 Plat。 〃Laws；〃 iv。 720 A； 〃Gor
