the memorabilia(纪念品)-第6节
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a problem which he was perpetually working at。 His opinion came to this：
If a madman may； as a matter of expediency to himself and his friends； be
kept in prison； surely； as a matter of justice； the man who knows not what
he ought to know should be content to sit at the feet of those who know；
and be taught。
But it was the rest of their kith and kin； not fathers only （according to
the accuser）； whom Socrates dishonoured in the eyes of his circle of
followers； when he said that 〃the sick man or the litigant does not derive
assistance from his relatives；＇26＇ but from his doctor in the one case； and
his legal adviser in the other。〃 〃Listen further to his language about
friends；〃 says the accuser： 〃'What is the good of their being kindly
disposed； unless they can be of some practical use to you？ Mere goodness
of disposition is nothing； those only are worthy of honour who combine
with the knowledge of what is right the faculty of expounding it；'＇27＇ and
so by bringing the young to look upon himself as a superlatively wise
person gifted with an extraordinary capacity for making others wise also；
he so worked on the dispositions of those who consorted with him that in
their esteem the rest of the world counted for nothing by comparison with
Socrates。〃
＇26＇ See Grote； 〃H。 G。〃 v。 535。
＇27＇ Cf。 Thuc。 ii。 60。 Pericles says； 〃Yet I with whom you are so
angry venture to say of myself； that I am as capable as any one of
devising and explaining a sound policy。〃Jowett。
Now I admit the language about fathers and the rest of a man's
relations。 I can go further； and add some other sayings of his； that 〃when
the soul （which is alone the indwelling centre of intelligence） is gone out
of a man； be he our nearest and dearest friend； we carry the body forth and
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bury it out of sight。〃 〃Even in life；〃 he used to say； 〃each of us is ready to
part with any portion of his best possessionto wit； his own bodyif it be
useless and unprofitable。 He will remove it himself； or suffer another to do
so in his stead。 Thus men cut off their own nails； hair； or corns； they allow
surgeons to cut and cauterise them； not without pains and aches； and are so
grateful to the doctor for his services that they further give him a fee。 Or
again； a man ejects the spittle from his mouth as far as possible。＇28＇ Why？
Because it is of no use while it stays within the system； but is detrimental
rather。〃
＇28＇ See Aristot。 〃Eth。 Eud。〃 vii。 1。
Now by these instances his object was not to inculcate the duty of
burying one's father alive or of cutting oneself to bits； but to show that
lack of intelligence means lack of worth；＇29＇ and so he called upon his
hearers to be as sensible and useful as they could be； so that； be it father or
brother or any one else whose esteem he would deserve； a man should not
hug himself in careless self…interest； trusting to mere relationship； but
strive to be useful to those whose esteem he coveted。
＇29＇ i。e。 〃witless and worthless are synonymous。〃
But （pursues the accuser） by carefully culling the most immoral
passages of the famous poets； and using them as evidences； he taught his
associates to be evildoers and tyrranical： the line of Hesiod＇30＇ for
instance
No work is a disgrace； slackness of work is the disgrace
〃interpreted；〃 says the accuser； 〃by Socrates as if the poet enjoined us
to abstain from no work wicked or ignoble； do everything for the sake of
gain。〃
＇30＇ 〃Works and Days；〃 309 ｛'Ergon d' ouden oneidos｝。 Cf。 Plat。
〃Charm。〃 163 C。
Now while Socrates would have entirely admitted the propositions that
〃it is a blessing and a benefit to a man to be a worker；〃 and that 〃a lazy do…
nothing is a pestilent evil；〃 that 〃work is good and idleness a curse；〃 the
question arises； whom did he mean by workers？ In his vocabulary only
those were good workmen＇31＇ who were engaged on good work； dicers
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and gamblers and others engaged on any other base and ruinous business
he stigmatised as the 〃idle drones〃； and from this point of view the
quotation from Hesiod is unimpeachable
No work is a disgrace； only idlesse is disgrace。
But there was a passage from Homer＇32＇ for ever on his lips； as the
accuser tells usthe passage which says concerning Odysseus；
What prince； or man of name； He found flight…giv'n； he would restrain
with words of gentlest blame： 〃Good sir； it fits you not to fly； or fare as
one afraid； You should not only stay yourself； but see the people stayed。〃
Thus he the best sort us'd； the worst； whose spirits brake out in
noise；＇33＇ He cudgell'd with his sceptre； chid； and said； 〃Stay； wretch； be
still； And hear thy betters； thou art base； and both in power and skill Poor
and unworthy； without name in counsel or in war。〃 We must not all be
kings。
＇31＇ See below； III。 ix。 9。
＇32＇ 〃Il。〃 ii。 188 foll。； 199 foll。 （so Chapman）。
＇33＇ Lit。 〃But whatever man of the people he saw and found him
shouting。〃W。 Leaf。
The accuser informs us that Socrates interpreted these lines as though
the poet approved the giving of blows to commoners and poor folk。 Now
no such remark was ever made by Socrates； which indeed would have
been tantamount to maintaining that he ought to be beaten himself。 What
he did say was； that those who were useful neither in word nor deed； who
were incapable of rendering assistance in time of need to the army or the
state or the people itself； be they never so wealthy； ought to be restrained；
and especially if to incapacity they added effrontery。
As to Socrates； he was the very opposite of all thishe was plainly a
lover of the people； and indeed of all mankind。 Though he had many
ardent admirers among citizens and strangers alike； he never demanded
any fee for his society from any one；＇34＇ but bestowed abundantly upon
all alike of the riches of his souldgood things； indeed； of which
fragments accepted gratis at his hands were taken and sold at high prices
to the rest of the community by some；＇35＇ who were not； as he was； lovers
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of the people； since with those who had not money to give in return they
refused to discourse。 But of Socrates be it said that in the eyes of the
whole world he reflected more honour on the state and a richer lustre than
ever Lichas；＇36＇ whose fame is proverbial； shed on Lacedaemon。 Lichas
feasted and entertained the foreign residents in Lacedaemon at the
Gymnopaediae most handsomely。 Socrates gave a lifetime to the
outpouring of his substance in the shape of the greatest benefits bestowed
on all who cared to receive them。 In other words； he made those who lived
in his society better men； and sent them on their way rejoicing。
＇34＇ See 〃Symp。〃 iv。 43； Plat。 〃Hipp。 maj。〃 300 D； 〃Apol。〃 19 E。
＇35＇ See Diog。 Laert。 II。 viii。 1。
＇36＇ See 〃Hell。〃 III。 ii。 21； Thuc。 v。 50； Plut。 〃Cim。〃 284 C。 For the
Gymnopaediae； see Paus。 III。 xi。 9； Athen。 xiv。 p。 631。
To no other conclusion； therefore； can I come but that； being so good a
man； Socrates was worthier to have received honour from the state than
death。 And this I take to be the strictly legal view of the case； for what
does the law require？＇37＇ 〃If a man be proved to be a thief； a filcher of
clothes； a cut…purse； a housebreaker； a man…stealer； a robber of temples；
the penalty is death。〃 Even so； and of all men Socrates stood most aloof
from such crimes。
＇37＇ See 〃Symp。〃 iv。 36； Plat。 〃Rep。〃 575 B； 〃Gorg。〃 508 E。
To the state he was never the cause of any evilneither disaster in war；
nor faction； nor treason； nor any other mischief whatsoever。 And if his
public life was free from all offence； so was his private。 He never hurt a
single soul either by deprivation
