alexandria and her schools(亚历山大和她的学校)-第4章
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of Alexandria and that of Judea inextricably united for more than three
hundred years。
So arose； at the command of the great conqueror； a mighty city； around
those two harbours； of which the western one only is now in use。 The
Pharos was then an island。 It was connected with the mainland by a great
mole； furnished with forts and drawbridges。 On the ruins of that mole
now stands the greater part of the modern city； the vast site of the ancient
one is a wilderness。
But Alexander was not destined to carry out his own magnificent
project。 That was left for the general whom he most esteemed； and to
whose personal prowess he had once owed his life； a man than whom
history knows few greater； Ptolemy； the son of Lagus。 He was an
adventurer； the son of an adventurer； his mother a cast…off concubine of
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Philip of Macedon。 There were those who said that he was in reality a
son of Philip himself。 However； he rose at court； became a private friend
of young Alexander； and at last his Somatophylax； some sort of Colonel of
the Life Guards。 And from thence he rose rapidly； till after his great
master's death he found himself despot of Egypt。
His face； as it appears on his coins； is of the loftiest and most Jove…
like type of Greek beauty。 There is a possibility about it； as about most
old Greek faces； of boundless cunning； a lofty irony too； and a
contemptuousness； especially about the mouth； which puts one in mind of
Goethe's expression； the face； altogether； of one who knew men too well
to respect them。 At least； he was a man of clear enough vision。 He saw
what was needed in those strange times； and he went straight to the thing
which he saw。 It was his wisdom which perceived that the huge
amorphous empire of Alexander could not be kept together； and advised
its partition among the generals； taking care to obtain himself the lion's
share； not in size； indeed； but in capability。 He saw； too （what every man
does not see）； that the only way to keep what he had got was to make it
better； and not worse； than he found it。 His first Egyptian act was to put
to death Cleomenes； Alexander's lieutenant； who had amassed vast
treasures by extortion； and who was； moreover； （for Ptolemy was a
prudent man） a dangerous partisan of his great enemy； Perdiccas。 We do
not read that he refunded the treasures： but the Egyptians surnamed him
Soter； the Saviour； and on the whole he deserved the title。 Instead of the
wretched misrule and slavery of the conquering Persian dynasty； they had
at least law and order； reviving commerce； and a system of administration；
we are told （I confess to speaking here quite at second…hand）； especially
adapted to the peculiar caste…society； and the religious prejudices of Egypt。
But Ptolemy's political genius went beyond such merely material and
Warburtonian care for the conservation of body and goods of his subjects。
He effected with complete success a feat which has been attempted； before
and since； by very many princes and potentates； but has always； except in
Ptolemy's case； proved somewhat of a failure； namely； the making a new
deity。 Mythology in general was in a rusty state。 The old Egyptian
gods had grown in his dominions very unfashionable； under the summary
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iconoclasm to which they had been subjected by the Monotheist Persians
the Puritans of the old world； as they have been well called。 Indeed； all
the dolls； and the treasure of the dolls' temples too； had been carried off by
Cambyses to Babylon。 And as for the Greek gods； philosophers had
sublimed them away sadly during the last century： not to mention that
Alexander's Macedonians； during their wanderings over the world； had
probably become rather remiss in their religious exercises； and had
possibly given up mentioning the Unseen world； except for those hortatory
purposes for which it used to be employed by Nelson's veterans。 But； as
Ptolemy felt； people （women especially） must have something wherein to
believe。 The 〃Religious Sentiment〃 in man must be satisfied。 But； how
to do it？ How to find a deity who would meet the aspirations of
conquerors as well as conqueredof his most irreligious Macedonians； as
well as of his most religious Egyptians？ It was a great problem： but
Ptolemy solved it。 He seems to have taken the same method which
Brindley the engineer used in his perplexities； for he went to bed。 And
there he had a dream： How the foreign god Serapis； of Pontus （somewhere
near this present hapless Sinope）； appeared to him； and expressed his wish
to come to Alexandria； and there try his influence on the Religious
Sentiment。 So Serapis was sent for； and cameat least the idol of him；
and accommodating personage！he actually fitted。 After he had been
there awhile； he was found to be quite an old acquaintanceto be； in fact；
the Greek Jove； and two or three other Greek gods； and also two or three
Egyptian gods besideindeed； to be no other than the bull Apis； after his
death and deification。 I can tell you no more。 I never could find that
anything more was known。 You may see him among Greek and Roman
statues as a young man； with a sort of high basket…shaped Persian turban
on his head。 But； at least； he was found so pleasant and accommodating
a conscience…keeper； that he spread； with Isis； his newly…found mother； or
wife； over the whole East； and even to Rome。 The Consuls there50
years B。C。found the pair not too respectable； and pulled down their
temples。 But； so popular were they； in spite of their bad fame； that seven
years after； the Triumvirs had to build the temples up again elsewhere； and
from that time forth； Isis and Serapis； in spite； poor things； of much
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persecution； were the fashionable deities of the Roman world。 Surely
this Ptolemy was a man of genius！
But Ptolemy had even more important work to do than making gods。
He had to make men； for he had few or none ready made among his old
veterans from Issus and Arbela。 He had no hereditary aristocracy： and
he wanted none。 No aristocracy of wealth； that might grow of itself； only
too fast for his despotic power。 But as a despot； he must have a knot of
men round him who would do his work。 And here came out his deep
insight into fact。 It had not escaped that man； what was the secret of
Greek supremacy。 How had he come there？ How had his great master
conquered half the world？ How had the little semi…barbarous mountain
tribe up there in Pella； risen under Philip to be the master…race of the globe？
How； indeed； had Xenophon and his Ten Thousand； how had the handfuls
of Salamis and Marathon； held out triumphantly century after century；
against the vast weight of the barbarian？ The simple answer was：
Because the Greek has mind； the barbarian mere brute force。 Because
mind is the lord of matter； because the Greek being the cultivated man； is
the only true man； the rest are ＇Greek text： barbaroi＇； mere things； clods；
tools for the wise Greeks' use； in spite of all their material phantom…
strength of elephants； and treasures； and tributaries by the million。 Mind
was the secret of Greek power； and for that Ptolemy would work。 He
would have an aristocracy of intellect； he would gather round him the wise
men of the world （glad enough most of them to leave that miserable
Greece； where every man's life was in his hand from hour to hour）； and he
would develop to its highest the conception of Philip； when he made
Aristotle the tutor of his son Alexander。 The consequences of that
attempt were written in letters of blood； over half the world； Ptolemy
would attempt it once more； with gentler results。 For though he fought
long； and often； and well； as Despot of Egypt； no less than as general of
Alexander； he was not at heart a man of blood； and made peace the end of
all his wars。
So he begins。 Aristotle is gone： but in Aristotle's place Philetas the
sweet singer of Cos； and Zenodotus the grammarian of Ephesus； shall
educate his favourite son； and he will have a literary court； and a literary
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age。 Demetrius Phalereus； the Admirable Crichton of his time； the last of
Attic orators； statesman； philosopher； poet； warrior； and each of them in
the most graceful； insinuating； courtly way； migrates to Alexandria； after
having had the three hundred and sixty statues； which the Athenians had
too hastily erected to his honour； as hastily pulled down again。 Here was
a prize for Ptolemy！ The charming man became his bosom friend and
fellow； even revised the laws of his kingdom； and fired him； if report says
true； with a mighty thoughtno less a one than the great public Library of
Alexandria； the first such institution； it is said； which the world had ever
seen。
So a library is begun by Soter； and organised and completed by
Philadelphus； or rather two libraries； for while one part was kept at the
Serapeium； that vast temple on the inland rising ground； of which； as far as
we can discover； Pompey's Pillar alone remai
