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第16节

thais-第16节

小说: thais 字数: 每页4000字

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will tear out your heart while you are asleep; and put a sponge in its
place; and the next day; when you drink water; you will be choked to
death。〃

She watched them grow pale; then she turned away from them; and sat on
a couch by the side of Paphnutius。 The voice of Cotta; kind but
imperious; was suddenly heard above the murmur of conversation。

〃Friends; let each take his place! Slaves; pour out the honeyed wine!〃

Then; the host raising his cup

〃Let us first drink to the divine Constantine and the genius of the
empire。 The country should be put first of all; even above the gods;
for it contains them all。〃

All the guests raised their full cups to their lips。 Paphnutius alone
did not drink; because Constantine had persecuted the Nicaean faith;
and because the country of the Christian is not of this world。

Dorion; having drunk; murmured

〃What is one's country? A flowing river。 The shores change; and the
waves are incessantly renewed。〃

〃I know; Dorion;〃 replied the Prefect of the Fleet; 〃that you care
little for the civic virtues; and you think that the sage ought to
hold himself aloof from all affairs。 I think; on the contrary; that an
honest man should desire nothing better than to fill a responsible
post in the State。 The State is a noble thing。〃

Hermodorus; the High Priest of Serapis; spoke next

〃Dorion has asked; 'What is one's country?' I will reply that the
altars of the gods and the tombs of ancestors make one's country。 A
man is a fellow…citizen by association of memories and hopes。〃

Young Aristobulus interrupted Hermodorus。

〃By Castor! I saw a splendid horse to…day。 It belonged to Demophoon。
It has a fine head; small jaw; and strong forelegs。 It carries its
neck high and proud; like a cock。〃

But young Chereas shook his head。

〃It is not such a good horse as you say; Aristobulus。 Its hoofs are
thin; and the pasterns are too low; the animal will soon go lame。〃

They were continuing their dispute; when Drosea uttered a piercing
shriek。

〃Oh! I nearly swallowed a fish…bone; as long and much sharper than a
style。 Luckily; I was able to get it out of my throat in time! The
gods love me!〃

〃Did you say; Drosea; that the gods loved you?〃 asked Nicias; smiling。
〃Then they must share the same infirmities as men。 Love presupposes
unhappiness on the part of whoever suffers from it; and is a proof of
weakness。 The affection they feel for Drosea is a great proof of the
imperfection of the gods。〃

At these words Drosea flew into a great rage。

〃Nicias; your remarks are foolish and not to the point。 But that is
your characteryou never understand what is said; and reply in words
devoid of sense。〃

Nicias smiled again。

〃Talk away; talk away; Drosea。 Whatever you say; we are glad every
time you open your mouth。 Your teeth are so pretty!〃

At that moment; a grave…looking old man; negligently dressed; walking
slowly; with his head high; entered the room; and gazed at the guests
quietly。 Cotta made a sign to him to take a place by his side; on the
same couch。

〃Eucrites;〃 he said; 〃you are welcome。 Have you composed a new
treatise on philosophy this month? That would make; if I calculate
correctly; the ninety…second that has proceeded from the Nile reed you
direct with an Attic hand。〃

Eucrites replied; stroking his silver beard

〃The nightingale was created to sing; and I was created to praise the
immortal gods。〃

DORION。 Let us respectfully salute; in Eucrites; the last of the
stoics。 Grave and white; he stands in the midst of us like the image
of an ancestor。 He is solitary amidst a crowd of men; and the words he
utters are not heard。

EUCRITES。 You deceive yourself; Dorion。 The philosophy of virtue is
not dead。 I have numerous disciples in Alexandria; Rome; and
Constantinople。 Many of the slaves; and some of the nephews of Caesar;
now know how to govern themselves; to live independently; and being
unconcerned with all affairs; they enjoy boundless happiness。 Many of
them have revived; in their own person; Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius。
But if it were true that virtue were for ever extinguished upon the
earth; in what way would the loss of it affect my happiness; since it
did not depend on me whether it existed or perished? Only fools;
Dorion; place their happiness out of their own power。 I desire nothing
that the gods do not wish; and I desire all that they do wish。 By that
means I render myself like unto them; and share their infallible
content。 If virtue perishes; I consent that it should perish; and that
consent fills me with joy; as the supreme effort of my reason or my
courage。 In all things my wisdom will copy the divine wisdom; and the
copy will be more valuable than the model; it will have cost greater
care and more work。

NICIAS。 I understand。 You put yourself on the same level as divine
providence。 But if virtue consists only in effort; Eucrites; and in
that intense application by which the disciples of Zeno pretend to
render themselves equal to the gods; the frog; which swelled itself
out to try and become as big as the ox; accomplished a masterpiece of
stoicism。

EUCRITES。 You jest; Nicias; and; as usual; you excel in ridicule。 But
if the ox of which you speak is really a god; like Apis; or like that
subterranean ox whose high priest I see here; and if the frog; being
wisely inspired; succeed in equalling it; would it not be; in fact;
more virtuous than the ox; and could you refrain from admiring such a
courageous little animal!

Four servants placed on the table a wild pig; still covered with its
bristles。 Little pigs; made of pastry; surrounded the animal; as
though they would suckle; to show that it was a sow。

Zenothemis; turning towards the monk; said

〃Friends; a guest has come hither to join us。 The illustrious
Paphnutius; who leads such an extraordinary life of solitude; is our
unexpected guest。〃

COTTA。 You may even add; Zenothemis; that the place of honour is due
to him; because he came without being invited。

ZENOTHEMIS。 Therefore; we ought; my dear Lucius; to make him the more
welcome; and strive to do that which would be most agreeable to him。
Now it is certain that such a man cares less for the perfumes of meat
than for the perfumes of fine thoughts。 We shall; doubtless; please
him by discussing the doctrine he professes; which is that of Jesus
crucified。 For my own part; I shall the more willingly discuss this
doctrine; because it keenly interests me; on account of the number and
the diversity of the allegories it contains。 If one may guess at the
spirit by the letter; it is filled with truths; and I consider that
the Christian books abound in divine revelations。 But I should not;
Paphnutius; grant equal merit to the Jewish books。 They were inspired
not; as it was said; by the Spirit of God; but by an evil genius。
Iaveh; who dictated them; was one of those spirits who people the
lower air; and cause the greater part of the evils; from which we
suffer; but he surpassed all the others in ignorance and ferocity。 On
the contrary; the serpent with golden wings; which twined its azure
coils round the tree of knowledge; was made up of light and love。 A
combat between these two powersthe one of light and the other of
darknesswas; therefore; inevitable。 It occurred soon after the
creation of the world。 God had hardly begun to rest after His labors;
Adam and Eve; the first man and the first woman; lived happy and naked
in the Garden of Eden; when Iaveh conceivedto their misfortunethe
design of governing them and all the generations which Eve already
bore in her splendid loins。 As he possessed neither the compass nor
the lyre; and was equally ignorant of the science which commands and
the art which persuades; he frightened these two poor children by
hideous apparitions; capricious threats; and thunder…bolts。 Adam and
Eve; feeling his shadow upon them; pressed closer to one another; and
their love waxed stronger in fear。 The serpent took pity on them; and
determined to instruct them; in order that; possessing knowledge; they
might no longer be misled by lies。 Such an undertaking required
extreme prudence; and the frailty of the first human couple rendered
it almost hopeless。 The well…intentioned demon essayed it; however。
Without the knowledge of Iavehwho pretended to see everything; but;
in reality; was not very sharp…sightedhe approached these two
beings; and charmed their eyes by the splendour of his coat and the
brilliancy of his wings。 Then he interested their minds by forming
before them; with his body; definite figures; such as the circle; the
ellipse; and the spiral; the wonderful properties of which have since
been recognised by the Greeks。 Adam meditated on these figures more
than Eve did。 But when the serpent began to speak; and taught the most
sublime truthsthose which cannot be demonstratedhe found that Adam
being made of red earth; was of too dull a nature to understand these
subtle distinctions; but that Eve; on the contrary; being more tender
and more sensitive; was easily impressed。 Therefore he conversed with
her alone; in the absence of her husband; in order to initiate her
first

DORION。 Permit me; Zenothemis; to interru

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