the memorabilia(纪念品)-第4节
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drunkenness or plunges headlong into licentious love； loses his old power
of practising the right and abstaining from the wrong。 Many a man who
has found frugality easy whilst passion was cold； no sooner falls in love
than he loses the faculty at once； and in his prodigal expenditure of riches
he will no longer withhold his hand from gains which in former days were
too base to invite his touch。 Where then is the difficulty of supposing that
a man may be temperate to…day； and to…morrow the reverse； or that he who
once has had it in his power to act virtuously may not quite lose that
power？＇10＇ To myself； at all events； it seems that all beautiful and noble
things are the result of constant practice and training； and pre…eminently
the virtue of temperance； seeing that in one and the same bodily frame
pleasures are planted and spring up side by side with the soul and keep
whispering in her ear； 〃Have done with self… restraint； make haste to
gratify us and the body。〃＇11＇
＇8＇ Theognis； 35； 36。 See 〃Symp。〃 ii。 4； Plat。 〃Men。〃 95 D。
＇9＇ The author is unknown。 See Plat。 〃Protag。〃 l。c。
＇10＇ Cf。 〃Cyrop。〃 V。 i。 9 foll。； VI。 i。 41。
＇11＇ See my remarks； 〃Hellenica Essays；〃 p。 371 foll。
But to return to Critias and Alcibiades； I repeat that as long as they
lived with Socrates they were able by his support to dominate their ignoble
appetites；＇12＇ but being separated from him； Critias had to fly to
Thessaly；＇13＇ where he consorted with fellows better versed in lawlessness
than justice。 And Alcibiades fared no better。 His personal beauty on the
one hand incited bevies of fine ladies＇14＇ to hunt him down as fair spoil；
while on the other hand his influence in the state and among the allies
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exposed him to the corruption of many an adept in the arts of flattery；
honoured by the democracy and stepping easily to the front rank he
behaved like an athlete who in the games of the Palaestra is so assured of
victory that he neglects his training； thus he presently forgot the duty
which he owed himself。
＇12＇ Cf。 ＇Plat。＇ 〃Theag。〃 130 A。
＇13＇ See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iii。 36。
＇14＇ Cf。 Plut。 〃Ages。；〃 〃Alcib。〃
Such were the misadventures of these two。 Is the sequel extraordinary？
Inflated with the pride of ancestry；＇15＇ exalted by their wealth； puffed up
by power； sapped to the soul's core by a host of human tempters； separate
moreover for many a long day from Socrateswhat wonder that they
reached the full stature of arrogancy！ And for the offences of these two
Socrates is to be held responsible！ The accuser will have it so。 But for the
fact that in early days； when they were both young and of an age when
dereliction from good feeling and self… restraint might have been expected；
this same Socrates kept them modest and well…behaved； not one word of
praise is uttered by the accuser for all this。 That is not the measure of
justice elsewhere meted。 Would a master of the harp or flute； would a
teacher of any sort who has turned out proficient pupils； be held to account
because one of them goes away to another teacher and turns out to be a
failure？ Or what father； if he have a son who in the society of a certain
friend remains an honest lad； but falling into the company of some other
becomes a good…for…nothing； will that father straightway accuse the earlier
instructor？ Will not he rather； in proportion as the boy deteriorates in the
company of the latter； bestow more heartfelt praise upon the former？ What
father； himself sharing the society of his own children； is held to blame for
their transgressions； if only his own goodness be established？ Here would
have been a fair test to apply to Socrates： Was he guilty of any base
conduct himself？ If so let him be set down as a knave； but if； on the
contrary； he never faltered in sobriety from beginning to end； how in the
name of justice is he to be held to account for a baseness which was not in
him？
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＇15＇ Or； 〃became overweening in arrogance。〃 Cf。 〃Henry VIII。 II。 iv。
110〃： 〃But your heart is crammed with arrogancy； spleen； and pride。〃
I go further： if； short of being guilty of any wrong himself； he saw the
evil doings of others with approval； reason were he should be held
blameworthy。 Listen then： Socrates was well aware that Critias was
attached to Euthydemus；＇16＇ aware too that he was endeavouring to deal
by him after the manner of those wantons whose love is carnal of the body。
From this endeavour he tried to deter him； pointing out how illiberal a
thing it was； how ill befitting a man of honour to appear as a beggar before
him whom he loved； in whose eyes he would fain be precious； ever
petitioning for something base to give and base to get。
＇16＇ See below； IV。 ii。 1 （if the same person）。
But when this reasoning fell on deaf ears and Critias refused to be
turned aside； Socrates； as the story goes； took occasion of the presence of a
whole company and of Euthydemus to remark that Critias appeared to be
suffering from a swinish affection； or else why this desire to rub himself
against Euthydemus like a herd of piglings scraping against stones。
The hatred of Critias to Socrates doubtless dates from this incident。 He
treasured it up against him； and afterwards； when he was one of the Thirty
and associated with Charicles as their official lawgiver；＇17＇ he framed the
law against teaching the art of words＇18＇ merely from a desire to vilify
Socrates。 He was at a loss to know how else to lay hold of him except by
levelling against him the vulgar charge＇19＇ against philosophers； by which
he hoped to prejudice him with the public。 It was a charge quite unfounded
as regards Socrates； if I may judge from anything I ever heard fall from his
lips myself or have learnt about him from others。 But the animus of Critias
was clear。 At the time when the Thirty were putting citizens； highly
respectable citizens； to death wholesale； and when they were egging on
one man after another to the commission of crime； Socrates let fall an
observation： 〃It would be sufficiently extraordinary if the keeper of a herd
of cattle＇20＇ who was continually thinning and impoverishing his cattle
did not admit himself to be a sorry sort of herdsman； but that a ruler of the
state who was continually thinning and impoverishing the citizens should
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neither be ashamed nor admit himself to be a sorry sort of ruler was more
extraordinary still。〃 The remark being reported to the government；
Socrates was summoned by Critias and Charicles； who proceeded to point
out the law and forbade him to converse with the young。 〃Was it open to
him；〃 Socrates inquired of the speaker； 〃in case he failed to understand
their commands in any point； to ask for an explanation？〃
＇17＇ Lit。 〃Nomothetes。〃 See 〃Hell。〃 II。 iii。 2； Dem。 706。 For
Charicles see Lys。 〃c。 Eratosth。〃 S。 56； Aristot。 〃Pol。〃 v。 6。 6。
＇18＇ See Diog。 Laert。 II。 v。 （〃Socr。〃）
＇19＇ i。e。 ｛to ton etto logon kreitto poiein｝； 〃of making the worse
appear the better cause。〃 Cf。 Arist。 〃Clouds。〃
＇20＇ See Dio Chrys。 〃Or。〃 43。
〃Certainly；〃 the two assented。
Then Socrates： I am prepared to obey the laws； but to avoid
transgression of the law through ignorance I need instruction： is it on the
supposition that the art of words tends to correctness of statement or to
incorrectness that you bid us abstain from it？ for if the former； it is clear
we must abstain from speeking correctly； but if the latter； our endeavour
should be to amend our speech。
To which Charicles； in a fit of temper； retorted： In consideration of
