pericles-第1章

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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　PERICLES
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　490？…429　B。C。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　by　Plutarch

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　translated　by　John　Dryden



　　CAESAR　once；　seeing　some　wealthy　strangers　at　Rome；　carrying　up
and　down　with　them　in　their　arms　and　bosoms　young　puppy…dogs　and
monkeys；　embracing　and　making　much　of　them；　took　occasion　not
unnaturally　to　ask　whether　the　women　in　their　country　were　not　used　to
bear　children；　by　that　prince…like　reprimand　gravely　reflecting　upon
persons　who　spend　and　lavish　upon　brute　beasts　that　affection　and
kindness　which　nature　has　implanted　in　us　to　be　bestowed　on　those　of
our　own　kind。　With　like　reason　may　we　blame　those　who　misuse　that　love
of　inquiry　and　observation　which　nature　has　implanted　in　our　souls；　by
expending　it　on　objects　unworthy　of　the　attention　either　of　their　eyes
or　their　ears；　while　they　disregard　such　as　are　excellent　in
themselves；　and　would　do　them　good。
　　The　mere　outward　sense；　being　passive　in　responding　to　the
impression　of　the　objects　that　come　in　its　way　and　strike　upon　it；
perhaps　cannot　help　entertaining　and　taking　notice　of　everything
that　addresses　it；　be　it　what　it　will；　useful　or　unuseful；　but；　in　the
exercise　of　his　mental　perception；　every　man；　if　he　chooses；　has　a
natural　power　to　turn　himself　upon　all　occasions；　and　to　change　and
shift　with　the　greatest　ease　to　what　he　shall　himself　judge　desirable。
So　that　it　becomes　a　man's　duty　to　pursue　and　make　after　the　best
and　choicest　of　everything；　that　he　may　not　only　employ　his
contemplation；　but　may　also　be　improved　by　it。　For　as　that　colour　is
more　suitable　to　the　eye　whose　freshness　and　pleasantness　stimulates
and　strengthens　the　sight；　so　a　man　ought　to　apply　his　intellectual
perception　to　such　objects　as；　with　the　sense　of　delight；　are　apt　to
call　it　forth；　and　allure　it　to　its　own　proper　good　and　advantage。
　　Such　objects　we　find　in　the　acts　of　virtue；　which　also　produce　in
the　minds　of　mere　readers　about　them　an　emulation　and　eagerness　that
may　lead　them　on　to　imitation。　In　other　things　there　does　not
immediately　follow　upon　the　admiration　and　liking　of　the　thing　done
any　strong　desire　of　doing　the　like。　Nay；　many　times；　on　the　very
contrary；　when　we　are　pleased　with　the　work；　we　slight　and　set
little　by　the　workman　or　artist　himself；　as　for　instance；　in
perfumes　and　purple　dyes；　we　are　taken　with　the　things　themselves　well
enough；　but　do　not　think　dyers　and　perfumers　otherwise　than　low　and
sordid　people。　It　was　not　said　amiss　by　Antisthenes；　when　people
told　him　that　one　Ismenias　was　an　excellent　piper。　〃It　may　be　so；〃
said　he；　〃but　he　is　but　a　wretched　human　being；　otherwise　he　would　not
have　been　an　excellent　piper。〃　And　King　Philip；　to　the　same　purpose；
told　his　son　Alexander；　who　once　at　a　merry…meeting　played　a　piece
of　music　charmingly　and　skilfully；　〃Are　you　not　ashamed；　son；　to
play　so　well？〃　For　it　is　enough　for　a　king　or　prince　to　find　leisure
sometimes　to　hear　others　sing；　and　he　does　the　muses　quite　honour
enough　when　he　pleases　to　be　but　present；　while　others　engage　in
such　exercises　and　trials　of　skill。
　　He　who　busies　himself　in　mean　occupations　produces；　in　the　very
pains　he　takes　about　things　of　little　or　no　use；　an　evidence　against
himself　of　his　negligence　and　indisposition　to　what　is　really　good。
Nor　did　any　generous　and　ingenuous　young　man；　at　the　sight　of　the
statue　of　Jupiter　at　Pisa；　ever　desire　to　be　a　Phidias；　or　on　seeing
that　of　Juno　at　Argos；　long　to　be　a　Polycletus；　or　feel　induced　by　his
pleasure　in　their　poems　to　wish　to　be　an　Anacreon　or　Philetas　or
Archilochus。　For　it　does　not　necessarily　follow；　that；　if　a　piece　of
work　please　for　its　gracefulness；　therefore　he　that　wrought　it
deserves　our　admiration。　Whence　it　is　that　neither　do　such　things
really　profit　or　advantage　the　beholders；　upon　the　sight　of　which　no
zeal　arises　for　the　imitation　of　them；　nor　any　impulse　or　inclination；
which　may　prompt　any　desire　or　endeavour　of　doing　the　like。　But
virtue；　by　the　bare　statement　of　its　actions；　can　so　affect　men's
minds　as　to　create　at　once　both　admiration　of　the　things　done　and
desire　to　imitate　the　doers　of　them。　The　goods　of　fortune　we　would
possess　and　would　enjoy；　those　of　virtue　we　long　to　practise　and
exercise：　we　are　content　to　receive　the　former　from　others；　the　latter
we　wish　others　to　experience　from　us。　Moral　good　is　a　practical
stimulus；　it　is　no　sooner　seen；　than　it　inspires　an　impulse　to
practice；　and　influences　the　mind　and　character　not　by　a　mere
imitation　which　we　look　at；　but　by　the　statement　of　the　fact　creates　a
moral　purpose　which　we　form。
　　And　so　we　have　thought　fit　to　spend　our　time　and　pains　in　writing　of
the　lives　of　famous　persons；　and　have　composed　this　tenth　book　upon
that　subject；　containing　the　life　of　Pericles；　and　that　of　Fabius
Maximus；　who　carried　on　the　war　against　Hannibal；　men　alike；　as　in
their　other　virtues　and　good　parts；　so　especially　in　their　mind　and
upright　temper　and　demeanour；　and　in　that　capacity　to　bear　the
cross…grained　humours　of　their　fellow…citizens　and　colleagues　in
office；　which　made　them　both　most　useful　and　serviceable　to　the
interests　of　their　countries。　Whether　we　take　a　right　aim　at　our
intended　purpose；　it　is　left　to　the　reader　to　judge　by　what　he　shall
here　find。
　　Pericles　was　of　the　tribe　Acamantis；　and　the　township　Cholargus；
of　the　noblest　birth　both　on　his　father's　and　mother's　side。
Xanthippus；　his　father；　who　defeated　the　King　of　Persia's　generals
in　the　battle　of　Mycale；　took　to　wife　Agariste；　the　grandchild　of
Clisthenes；　who　drove　out　the　sons　of　Pisistratus；　and　nobly　put　an
end　to　their　tyrannical　usurpation；　and；　moreover；　made　a　body　of
laws；　and　settled　a　model　of　government　admirably　tempered　and
suited　for　the　harmony　and　safety　of　the　people。
　　His　mother；　being　near　her　time；　fancied　in　a　dream　that　she　was
brought　to　bed　of　a　lion；　and　a　few　days　after　was　delivered　of
Pericles；　in　other　respects　perfectly　formed；　only　his　head　was
somewhat　longish　and　out　of　proportion。　For　which　reason　almost　all
the　images　and　statues　that　were　made　of　him　have　the　head　covered
with　a　helmet；　the　workmen　apparently　being　willing　not　to　expose　him。
The　poets　of　Athens　called　him　Schinocephalos；　or　squill…head；　from
schinos；　a　squill；　or　sea…onion。　One　of　the　comic　poets；　Cratinus；
in　the　Chirons；　tells　us　that…

　　　　　〃Old　Chronos　once　took　queen　Sedition　to　wife：
　　　　　　Which　two　brought　to　life
　　　　　　That　tyrant　far…famed；
　　　　　　Whom　the　gods　the　supreme　skull…compeller　have　named；

and；　in　the　Nemesis；　addresses　him…

　　　　　　　　〃Come；　Jove；　thou　head　of　Gods。〃

And　a　second；　Teleclides；　says；　that　now；　in　embarrassment　with
political　difficulties；　he　sits　in　the　city…

　　　　　　　　〃Fainting　underneath　the　load
　　　　　　　　　Of　his　own　head：　and　now　abroad
　　　　　　　　　From　his　huge　gallery　of　a　pate
　　　　　　　　　Sends　forth　trouble　to　the　state。〃

And　a　third；　Eupolis；　in　the　comedy　called　the　Demi；　in　a　series　of
questions　about　each　of　the　demagogues；　whom　he　makes　in　the　play　to
come　up　from　hell；　upon　Pericles　being　named　last；　exclaims…

　　　　　　　　〃And　here　by　way　of　summary；　now　we've　done；
　　　　　　　　　Behold；　in　brief；　the　heads　of　all　in　one。〃

　　The　master　that　taught　him　music；　most　authors　are　agreed；　was　Damon
（whose　name；　they　say；　ought　to　be　pronounced　with　the　first
syllable　short）。　Though　Aristotle　tells　us　that　he　was　thoroughly
practised　in　all　accomplishments　of　this　kind　by　Pythoclides。　Damon；
it　is　not　unlikely；　being　a　sophist；　out　of　policy　sheltered　himself
under　the　profession　of　music　to　conceal　from　people　in　general　his
skill　in　other　things；　and　under　this　pretence　attended　Pericles；
the　young　athlete　of　politics；　so　to　say；　as　his　training…master　in
these　exercises。　Damon's　lyre；　however；　did　not　prove　altogether　a
successful　blind；　he　was　banished　the　country　by　ostracism　for　ten
years；　as　a　dangerous　intermeddler　and　a　favourer　of　arbitrary
power；　and；　by　this　means；　gave　the　stage　occasion　to　play　upon　him。
As；　for　instance；　Plato；　the　comic　poet；　introduces　a　character　who
questions　him…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Tell　me；　if　you　please；
　　　　　　　　　Since　you're　the　Chiron　who　taught　Pericles。〃

　　Pericles；　also；　was　a　hearer　of　Zeno；　the　Eleatic；　who　treated　of
natural　philosophy　in　the　same　manner　as　Parmenides　did；　but　had
also　perfected　himself　in　an　art　of　his　own　for　refuting　and　silencing
opponents　in　argument；　as　Timon　of　Phlius　describes　it…

　　　　　　　　〃Also　the　two…edged　tongue　of　mighty　Zeno；　who；
　　　　　　　　　Say　what　one　would；　could　argue　it　untrue。〃

　　But　he　that　saw　most　of　Pericles；　and　furnished　him　most
especially　with　a　weight　and　grandeur　of　sense；　superior　to　all　arts
of　popularity；　and　in　general　gave　him　his　elevation　and　sublimity
of　purpose　and　of　character；　was　Anaxagoras　of　Clazomenae；　whom　the
men　of　those　times　called　by　the　name　of　Nous；　that　is；　mind；　or
intelligence；　whether　in　admiration　of　the　great　and　extraordinary
gift　he　had　displayed　for　the　science　of　nature；　or　because　that　he
was　the　first　of　the　philosophers　who　did　not　refer　the　first　ordering
of　the　world　to　fortune　or　chance；　nor　to　necessity　or　compulsion；　but
to　a　pure；　unadulterated　intelligence；　which　in　all　other　existing
mixed　and　compound　things　acts　as　a　principle　of　discrimination；　and
of　combination　of　like　with　like。
　　For　this　man；　Pericles　entertained　an　extraordinary　esteem　and
admiration；　and　filling　himself　with　this　lofty　and；　as　they　call
it；　up…in…the…air　sort　of　thought；　derived　hence　not　merely；　as　was
natural；　elevation　of　purpose　and　dignity　of　language；　raised　far
above　the　base　and　dishonest　buffooneries　of　mob　eloquence；　but；
besides　this；　a　composure　of　countenance；　and　a　serenity　and
calmness　in　all　his　movements；　which　no　occurrence　whilst　he　was
speaking　could　disturb；　a　sustained　and　even　tone　of　voice；　and
various　other　advantages　of　a　similar　kind；　which　produced　the
greatest　effect　on　his　hearers。　Once；　after　being　reviled　and
ill…spoken　of　all　day　long　in　his　own　hearing　by　some　vile　and
abandoned　fellow　in　the　open　market…place；　where　he　was　engaged　in　the
despatch　of　some　urgent　affair。　He　continued　his　business　in　perfect
silence；　and　in　the　evening　returned　home　composedly；　the　man　still
dogging　him　at　the　heels；　and　pelting　him　all　the　way　with　abuse　and
foul　language；　and　stepping　into　his　house；　it　being　by　this　time
dark；　he　ordered　one　of　his　servants　to　take　a　light；　and　to　go
along　with　the　man　and　see　him　safe　home。　Ion；　it　is　true；　the
dramatic　poet；　says　that　Pericles's　manner　in　company　was　somewhat
over…assuming　and　pompous；　and　that　into　his　high…bearing　there
entered　a　good　deal　of　slightingness　and　scorn　of　others；　he
reserves　his　commendation　for　Cimon's　ease　and　pliancy　and　natural
grace　in　society。　Ion；　however；　who　must　needs　make　virtue；　like　a
show　of　tragedies；　include　some　comic　scenes；　we　shall　not
altogether　rely　upon；　Zeno　used　to　bid　those　who　called　Pericles's
gravity　the　affectation　of　a　charlatan；　to　go　and　affect　the　like
themselves；　inasmuch　as　this　mere　counterfeiting　might　in　time
insensibly　instil　into　them　a　real　love　and