the memorabilia(纪念品)-第43节
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Soc。 Or have you not heard of the 〃woes of Palamedes；〃＇51＇ that
commonest theme of song； how for his wisdom's sake Odysseus envied
him and slew him？
＇51＇ See Virg。 〃Aen。〃 ii。 90； Hygin。 105； Philostr。 〃Her。〃 x。
Euth。 That tale also is current。
Soc。 And how many others； pray； do you suppose have been seized on
account of their wisdom； and despatched to the great king and at his court
enslaved？＇52＇
＇52＇ Cf。 Herod。 iii。 129。
Well； prosperity； well…being＇53＇ （he exclaimed）； must surely be a
blessing； and that the most indisputable； Socrates？
＇53＇ ｛to eudaimonein｝； 〃happiness。〃 Cf。 Herod。 i。 86。
It might be so （replied the philosopher） if it chanced not to be in itself
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a compound of other questionable blessings。
Euth。 And which among the components of happiness and well…being
can possibly be questionable？
None （he retorted）； unless of course we are to include among these
components beauty； or strength； or wealth； or reputation； or anything else
of that kind？
Euth。 By heaven！ of course we are to include these； for what would
happiness be without these？
Soc。 By heaven！ yes； only then we shall be including the commonest
sources of mischief which befall mankind。 How many are ruined by their
fair faces at the hand of admireres driven to distraction＇54＇ by the sight of
beauty in its bloom！ how many； tempted by their strength to essay deeds
beyond their power； are involved in no small evils！ how many； rendered
effeminate by reason of their wealth； have been plotted against and
destroyed！＇55＇ how many through fame and political power have suffered
a world of woe！
＇54＇ Cf。 Plat。 〃Rep。〃 vii。 517 D； 〃Phaedr。〃 249 D。
＇55＇ e。g。 Alcibiades。
Well （the youth replied） if I am not even right in praising happiness； I
must confess I know not for what one ought to supplicate the gods in
prayer。＇56＇
＇56＇ See above for Socrates' own form of supplication。
Nay； these are matters （proceeded Socrates） which perhaps； through
excessive confidence in your knowledge of them； you have failed to
examine into； but since the state； which you are preparing yourself to
direct； is democratically constituted；＇57＇ of course you know what a
democracy is。
＇57＇ Or； 〃popularly governed。〃
Euth。 I presume I do； decidedly。
Soc。 Well； now； is it possible to know what a popular state is without
knowing who the people are？
Euth。 Certainly not。
Soc。 And whom do you consider to be the people？
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Euth。 The poor citizens； I should say。
Soc。 Then you know who the poor are； of course？
Euth。 Of course I do。
Soc。 I presume you also know who the rich are？
Euth。 As certainly as I know who are the poor。
Soc。 Whom do you understand by poor and rich？
Euth。 By poor I mean those who have not enough to pay for their
necessaries；＇58＇ and by rich those who have more means than sufficient
for all their needs。
＇58＇ Al。 〃who cannot contribute their necessary quota to the taxes
（according to the census）。〃
Soc。 Have you noticed that some who possess a mere pittance not only
find this sufficient； but actually succeed in getting a surplus out of it； while
others do not find a large fortune large enough？
I have； most certainly； and I thank you for the reminder （replied
Euthydemus）。 One has heard of crowned heads and despotic rulers being
driven by want to commit misdeeds like the veriest paupers。
Then； if that is how matters stand （continued Socrates）； we must class
these same crowned heads with the commonalty； and some possessors of
scant fortunes； provided they are good economists； with the wealthy？
Then Euthydemus： It is the poverty of my own wit which forces me to
this admission。 I bethink me it is high time to keep silence altogether； a
little more； and I shall be proved to know absolutely nothing。 And so he
went away crestfallen； in an agony of self… contempt； persuaded that he
was verily and indeed no better than a slave。
Amongst those who were reduced to a like condition by Socrates；
many refused to come near him again； whom he for his part looked upon
as dolts and dullards。＇59＇ But Euthydemus had the wit to understand that；
in order to become worthy of account； his best plan was to associate as
much as possible with Socrates； and from that moment； save for some
necessity； he never left himin some points even imitating him in his
habits and pursuits。 Socrates； on his side； seeing that this was the young
man's disposition； disturbed him as little as possible； but in the simplest
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and plainest manner initiated him into everything which he held to be
needful to know or important to practise。
＇59＇ Or； 〃as people of dull intelligence and sluggish temperament。〃
Cf。 Plat。 〃Gorg。〃 488 A。
III
It may be inferred that Socrates was in no hurry for those who were
with him to discover capacities for speech and action or as inventive
geniuses；＇1＇ without at any rate a well…laid foundation of self… control。＇2＇
For those who possessed such abilities without these same saving virtues
would； he believed； only become worse men with greater power for
mischief。 His first object was to instil into those who were with him a wise
spirit in their relation to the gods。＇3＇ That such was the tenor of his
conversation in dealing with men may be seen from the narratives of
others who were present on some particular occasion。＇4＇ I confine myself
to a particular discussion with Euthydemus at which I was present。
＇1＇ Or； 〃as speakers〃 （see ch。 vi。 below）； 〃and men of action〃 （see
ch。 v。 below）； 〃or as masters of invention〃 （see ch。 vii。 below）。
＇2＇ Or； 〃but as prior to those excellences must be engrafted in them
｛sophrosune｝ （the virtues of temperance and sanity of soul）。〃
＇3＇ Lit。 〃His first object and endeavour was to make those who were
with him ｛sophronas｝ （sound of soul） as regards the gods。〃
＇4＇ Reading after Herbst； Cobet； etc。； ｛diegountai｝； or if vulg。
｛diegounto｝； translate； 〃from the current accounts penned during his
lifetime by the other witnesses。〃 For ｛alloi｝ see K。 Joel； op。 cit。 pp。
15； 23； above； 〃Mem。〃 I。 iv。 1。
Socrates said：＇5＇ Tell me； Euthydemus； has it ever struck you to
observe what tender pains the gods have taken to furnish man with all his
needs？
＇5＇ For the subject matter of this 〃teleological〃 chapter； see above；
I。 iv。； K。 Joel； op。 cit。 Appendix； p。 547 foll。 in ref。 to Dummler's
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views。
Euth。 No indeed； I cannot say that it has ever struck me。
Well （Socrates cotinued）； you do not need to be reminded that； in the
first place； we need light； and with light the gods supply us。
Euth。 Most true； and if we had not got it we should； as far as our own
eyes could help us； be like men born blind。
Soc。 And then； again； seeing that we stand in need of rest and
relaxation； they bestow upon us 〃the blessed balm of silent night。〃＇6＇
＇6＇ ｛kalliston anapauterion｝。 The diction throughout is 〃poetical。〃
Yes （he answered）； we are much beholden for that boon。
Soc。 Then； forasmuch as the sun in his splendour makes manifest to us
the hours of the day and bathes all things in brightness； but anon night in
her darkness obliterates distinctions； have they not displayed aloft the
starry orbs； which inform us of the watches of the night； whereby we can
accomplish many of our needs？＇7＇
＇7＇ e。g。
