pericles-第2章

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themselves；　inasmuch　as　this　mere　counterfeiting　might　in　time
insensibly　instil　into　them　a　real　love　and　knowledge　of　those　noble
qualities。
　　Nor　were　these　the　only　advantages　which　Pericles　derived　from
Anaxagoras's　acquaintance；　he　seems　also　to　have　become；　by　his
instructions；　superior　to　that　superstition　with　which　an　ignorant
wonder　at　appearances；　for　example；　in　the　heavens；　possesses　the
minds　of　people　unacquainted　with　their　causes；　eager　for　the
supernatural；　and　excitable　through　an　inexperience　which　the
knowledge　of　natural　causes　removes；　replacing　wild　and　timid
superstition　by　the　good　hope　and　assurance　of　an　intelligent　piety。
　　There　is　a　story；　that　once　Pericles　had　brought　to　him　from　a
country　farm　of　his　a　ram's　head　with　one　horn；　and　that　Lampon；　the
diviner；　upon　seeing　the　horn　grow　strong　and　solid　out　of　the　midst
of　the　forehead；　gave　it　as　his　judgment；　that；　there　being　at　that
time　two　potent　factions；　parties；　or　interests　in　the　city；　the　one
of　Thucydides　and　the　other　of　Pericles；　the　government　would　come
about　to　that　one　of　them　in　whose　ground　or　estate　this　token　or
indication　of　fate　had　shown　itself。　But　that　Anaxagoras；　cleaving　the
skull　in　sunder；　showed　to　the　bystanders　that　the　brain　had　not
filled　up　its　natural　place；　but　being　oblong；　like　an　egg；　had
collected　from　all　parts　of　the　vessel　which　contained　it　in　a　point
to　that　place　from　whence　the　root　of　the　horn　took　its　rise。　And
that；　for　that　time；　Anaxagoras　was　much　admired　for　his　explanation
by　those　that　were　present；　and　Lampon　no　less　a　little　while　after；
when　Thucydides　was　overpowered；　and　the　whole　affairs　of　the　state
and　government　came　into　the　hands　of　Pericles。
　　And　yet；　in　my　opinion；　it　is　no　absurdity　to　say　that　they　were
both　in　the　right；　both　natural　philosopher　and　diviner；　one　justly
detecting　the　cause　of　this　event；　by　which　it　was　produced；　the　other
the　end　for　which　it　was　designed。　For　it　was　the　business　of　the
one　to　find　out　and　give　an　account　of　what　it　was　made；　and　in　what
manner　and　by　what　means　it　grew　as　it　did；　and　of　the　other　to
foretell　to　what　end　and　purpose　it　was　so　made；　and　what　it　might
mean　or　portend。　Those　who　say　that　to　find　out　the　cause　of　a　prodigy
is　in　effect　to　destroy　its　supposed　signification　as　such；　do　not
take　notice；　that；　at　the　same　time；　together　with　divine　prodigies；
they　also　do　away　with　signs　and　signals　of　human　art　and　concert；　as；
for　instance；　the　clashings　of　quoits；　fire…beacons；　and　the　shadows
of　sun…dials；　every　one　of　which　has　its　cause；　and　by　that　cause
and　contrivance　is　a　sign　of　something　else。　But　these　are　subjects；
perhaps；　that　would　better　befit　another　place。
　　Pericles；　while　yet　but　a　young　man；　stood　in　considerable
apprehension　of　the　people；　as　he　was　thought　in　face　and　figure　to　be
very　like　the　tyrant　Pisistratus；　and　those　of　great　age　remarked　upon
the　sweetness　of　his　voice；　and　his　volubility　and　rapidity　in
speaking；　and　were　struck　with　amazement　at　the　resemblance。
Reflecting；　too；　that　he　had　a　considerable　estate；　and　was
descended　of　a　noble　family；　and　had　friends　of　great　influence；　he
was　fearful　all　this　might　bring　him　to　be　banished　as　a　dangerous
person；　and　for　this　reason　meddled　not　at　all　with　state　affairs；　but
in　military　service　showed　himself　of　a　brave　and　intrepid　nature。　But
when　Aristides　was　now　dead；　and　Themistocles　driven　out；　and　Cimon
was　for　the　most　part　kept　abroad　by　the　expeditions　he　made　in
parts　out　of　Greece；　Pericles；　seeing　things　in　this　posture；　now
advanced　and　took　his　side；　not　with　the　rich　and　few；　but　with　the
many　and　poor；　contrary　to　his　natural　bent；　which　was　far　from
democratical；　but；　most　likely　fearing　he　might　fall　under　suspicion
of　aiming　at　arbitrary　power；　and　seeing　Cimon　on　the　side　of　the
aristocracy；　and　much　beloved　by　the　better　and　more　distinguished
people；　he　joined　the　party　of　the　people；　with　a　view　at　once　both　to
secure　himself　and　procure　means　against　Cimon。
　　He　immediately　entered；　also；　on　quite　a　new　course　of　life　and
management　of　his　time。　For　he　was　never　seen　to　walk　in　any　street
but　that　which　led　to　the　market…place　and　council…hall；　and　he
avoided　invitations　of　friends　to　supper；　and　all　friendly　visiting
and　intercourse　whatever；　in　all　the　time　he　had　to　do　with　the
public；　which　was　not　a　little；　he　was　never　known　to　have　gone　to　any
of　his　friends　to　a　supper；　except　that　once　when　his　near　kinsman
Euryptolemus　married；　he　remained　present　till　the　ceremony　of　the
drink…offering；　and　then　immediately　rose　from　table　and　went　his　way。
For　these　friendly　meetings　are　very　quick　to　defeat　any　assumed
superiority；　and　in　intimate　familiarity　an　exterior　of　gravity　is
hard　to　maintain。　Real　excellence；　indeed；　is　most　recognized　when
most　openly　looked　into；　and　in　really　good　men；　nothing　which　meets
the　eyes　of　external　observers　so　truly　deserves　their　admiration；
as　their　daily　common　life　does　that　of　their　nearer　friends。
Pericles；　however；　to　avoid　any　feeling　of　commonness；　or　any
satiety　on　the　part　of　the　people；　presented　himself　at　intervals
only；　not　speaking　to　every　business；　nor　at　all　times　coming　into　the
assembly；　but；　as　Critolaus　says；　reserving　himself；　like　the
Salaminian　galley；　for　great　occasions；　while　matters　of　lesser
importance　were　despatched　by　friends　or　other　speakers　under　his
direction。　And　of　this　number　we　are　told　Ephialtes　made　one；　who
broke　the　power　of　the　council　of　Areopagus；　giving　the　people；
according　to　Plato's　expression；　so　copious　and　so　strong　a　draught　of
liberty；　that　growing　wild　and　unruly；　like　an　unmanageable　horse；　it；
as　the　comic　poets　say〃…

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃…got　beyond　all　keeping　in；
　　　　　　　　　Champing　at　Euboea；　and　among　the　islands　leaping　in。〃

　　The　style　of　speaking　most　consonant　to　his　form　of　life　and　the
dignity　of　his　views　he　found；　so　to　say；　in　the　tones　of　that
instrument　with　which　Anaxagoras　had　furnished　him；　of　his　teaching　he
continually　availed　himself；　and　deepened　the　colours　of　rhetoric　with
the　dye　of　natural　science。　For　having；　in　addition　to　his　great
natural　genius；　attained；　by　the　study　of　nature；　to　use　the　words
of　the　divine　Plato；　this　height　of　intelligence；　and　this　universal
consummating　power；　and　drawing　hence　whatever　might　be　of　advantage
to　him　in　the　art　of　speaking；　he　showed　himself　far　superior　to　all
others。　Upon　which　account；　they　say；　he　had　his　nickname　given　him；
though　some　are　of　opinion　he　was　named　the　Olympian　from　the　public
buildings　with　which　he　adorned　the　city；　and　others　again；　from　his
great　power　in　public　affairs；　whether　of　war　or　peace。　Nor　is　it
unlikely　that　the　confluence　of　many　attributes　may　have　conferred
it　on　him。　However；　the　comedies　represented　at　the　time；　which；
both　in　good　earnest　and　in　merriment；　let　fly　many　hard　words　at　him；
plainly　show　that　he　got　that　appellation　especially　from　his
speaking；　they　speak　of　his　〃thundering　and　lightning〃　when　he
harangued　the　people；　and　of　his　wielding　a　dreadful　thunderbolt　in
his　tongue。
　　A　saying　also　of　Thucydides；　the　son　of　Melesias；　stands　on
record；　spoken　by　him　by　way　of　pleasantry　upon　Pericles's
dexterity。　Thucydides　was　one　of　the　noble　and　distinguished　citizens；
and　had　been　his　greatest　opponent；　and；　when　Archidamus；　the　King
of　the　Lacedaemonians；　asked　him　whether　he　or　Pericles　were　the
better　wrestler；　he　made　this　answer：　〃When　I；〃　said　he；　〃have
thrown　him　and　given　him　a　fair　fall；　by　persisting　that　he　had　no
fall；　he　gets　the　better　of　me；　and　makes　the　bystanders；　in　spite
of　their　own　eyes；　believe　him。〃　The　truth；　however；　is；　that　Pericles
himself　was　very　careful　what　and　how　he　was　to　speak；　insomuch
that；　whenever　he　went　up　to　the　hustings；　he　prayed　the　gods　that
no　one　word　might　unawares　slip　from　him　unsuitable　to　the　matter
and　the　occasion。
　　He　has　left　nothing　in　writing　behind　him；　except　some　decrees；
and　there　are　but　very　few　of　his　sayings　recorded；　one；　for
example；　is；　that　he　said　Aegina　must；　like　a　gathering　in　a　man's
eye；　be　removed　from　Piraeus；　and　another；　that　he　said　he　saw　already
war　moving　on　its　way　towards　them　out　of　Peloponnesus。　Again；　when　on
a　time　Sophocles；　who　was　his　fellow…commissioner　in　the
generalship；　was　going　on　board　with　him；　and　praised　the　beauty　of
a　youth　they　met　with　in　the　way　to　the　ship；　〃Sophocles；〃　said　he；　〃a
general　ought　not　only　to　have　clean　hands　but　also　clean　eyes。〃　And
Stesimbrotus　tells　us　that；　in　his　encomium　on　those　who　fell　in
battle　at　Samos；　he　said　they　were　become　immortal；　as　the　gods
were。　〃For；〃　said　he；　〃we　do　not　see　them　themselves；　but　only　by
the　honours　we　pay　them；　and　by　the　benefits　they　do　us；　attribute
to　them　immortality；　and　the　like　attributes　belong　also　to　those　that
die　in　the　service　of　their　country。〃
　　Since　Thucydides　describes　the　rule　of　Pericles　as　an　aristocratical
government；　that　went　by　the　name　of　a　democracy；　but　was；　indeed；　the
supremacy　of　a　single　great　man；　while　many　others　say；　on　the
contrary；　that　by　him　the　common　people　were　first　encouraged　and
led　on　to　such　evils　as　appropriations　of　subject　territory；
allowances　for　attending　theatres；　payments　for　performing　public
duties；　and　by　these　bad　habits　were；　under　the　influence　of　his
public　measures；　changed　from　a　sober；　thrifty　people；　that　maintained
themselves　by　their　own　labours；　to　lovers　of　expense；　intemperance；
and　licence；　let　us　examine　the　cause　of　this　change　by　the　actual
matters　of　fact。
　　At　the　first；　as　has　been　said；　when　he　set　himself　against
Cimon's　great　authority；　he　did　caress　the　people。　Finding　himself
come　short　of　his　competitor　in　wealth　and　money；　by　which
advantages　the　other　was　enabled　to　take　care　of　the　poor；　inviting
every　day　some　one　or　other　of　the　citizens　that　was　in　want　to
supper；　and　bestowing　clothes　on　the　aged　people；　and　breaking　down
the　hedges　and　enclosures　of　his　grounds；　that　all　that　would　might
freely　gather　what　fruit　they　pleased；　Pericles；　thus　outdone　in
popular　arts；　by　the　advice　of　one　Damonides　of　Oea；　as　Aristotle
states；　turned　to　the　distribution　of　the　public　moneys；　and　in　a
short　time　having　bought　the　people　over；　what　with　moneys　allowed　for
shows　and　for　service　on　juries；　and　what　with　other　forms　of　pay
and　largess；　he　made　use　of　them　against　the　council　of　Areopagus　of
which　he　himself　was　no　member；　as　having　never　been　appointed　by　lot…
either　chief　archon；　or　lawgiver；　or　king；　or　captain。　For　from　of　old
these　offices　were　conferred　on　persons　by　lot；　and　they　who　had
acquitted　themselves　duly　in　the　discharge　of　them　were　advanced　to
the　court　of　Areopagus。　And　so　Pericles；　having　secured　his　power　in
interest　with　the　populace；　directed　the　exertions　of　his　party
against　this　council　with　such　success；　that　most　of　these　causes
and　matters　which　had　been　used　to　be　tried　there　were；　by　the
agency　of　Ephialtes；　removed　from　its　cognisance；　Cimon；　also；　was
banished　by　ostracism　as　a　favourer　of　the　Lacedaemonians　and　a
hater　of　the　people；　though　in　wealth　and　noble　birth　he　was