the memorabilia-第18章

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Soc。　Still；　without　any　practical　skill　in　singing　or　in　the　training
of　a　chorus；　Antisthenes　somehow　had　the　art　to　select　the　greatest
proficients　in　both。

Nic。　Yes；　and　by　the　same　reasoning　we　are　to　infer　that　on　a　campaign
he　will　find　proficients；　some　to　marshal　the　troops　for　him　and
others　to　fight　his　battles？

Soc。　Just　so。　If　in　matters　military　he　only　exhibits　the　same　skill
in　selecting　the　best　hands　as　he　has　shown　in　matters　of　the　chorus；
it　is　highly　probable　he　will　here　also　bear　away　the　palm　of　victory；
and　we　may　presume　that　if　he　expended　so　much　to　win　a　choric　victory
with　a　single　tribe；＇5＇　he　will　be　ready　to　expend　more　to　secure　a
victory　in　war　with　the　whole　state　to　back　him。

＇5＇　See　Dem。　〃against　Lept。〃　496。　26。　Each　tribe　nominated　such　of　its
　　　　members　as　were　qualified　to　undertake　the　burden。

Nic。　Do　you　really　mean；　Socrates；　that　it　is　the　function　of　the　same
man　to　provide　efficient　choruses　and　to　act　as　commander…in…chief？

Soc。　I　mean　this；　that；　given　a　man　knows　what　he　needs　to　provide；
and　has　the　skill　to　do　so；　no　matter　what　the　deparment　of　things　may
behouse　or　city　or　armyyou　will　find　him　a　good　chief　and
director＇6＇　of　the　same。

＇6＇　Or；　〃representative。〃

Then　Nicomachides：　Upon　my　word；　Socrates；　I　should　never　have
expected　to　hear　you　say　that　a　good　housekeeper＇7＇　and　steward　of　an
estate　would　make　a　good　general。

＇7＇　Or；　〃economist〃；　cf。　〃Cyrop。〃　I。　vi。　12。

Soc。　Come　then；　suppose　we　examine　their　respective　duties；　and　so
determine＇8＇　whether　they　are　the　same　or　different。

＇8＇　Lit。　〃get　to　know。〃

Nic。　Let　us　do　so。

Soc。　Well　then；　is　it　not　a　common　duty　of　both　to　procure　the　ready
obedience　of　those　under　them　to　their　orders？

Nic。　Certainly。

Soc。　And　also　to　assign　to　those　best　qualified　to　perform　them　their
distinctive　tasks？

That；　too；　belongs　to　both　alike　（he　answered）。

Soc。　Again；　to　chastise　the　bad　and　reward　the　good　belongs　to　both
alike；　methinks？

Nic。　Decidedly。

Soc。　And　to　win　the　kindly　feeling　of　their　subordinates　must　surely
be　the　noble　ambition　of　both？

That　too　（he　answered）。

Soc。　And　do　you　consider　it　to　the　interest　of　both　alike　to　win　the
adherence　of　supporters　and　allies？＇9＇

＇9＇　In　reference　to　the　necessity　of　building　up　a　family　connection
　　　　or　political　alliances　cf。　Arist。　〃Pol。〃　iii。　9；　13。

Nic。　Without　a　doubt。

Soc。　And　does　it　not　closely　concern　them　both　to　be　good　guardians　of
their　respective　charges？

Nic。　Very　much　so。

Soc。　Then　it　equally　concerns　them　both　to　be　painstaking　and　prodigal
of　toil　in　all　their　doings？

Nic。　Yes；　all　these　duties　belong　to　both　alike；　but　the　parallel　ends
when　you　come　to　actual　fighting。

Soc。　Yet　they　are　both　sure　to　meet　with　enemies？

Nic。　There　is　no　doubt　about　that。

Soc。　Then　is　it　not　to　the　interest　of　both　to　get　the　upper　hand　of
these？

Nic。　Certainly；　but　you　omit　to　tell　us　what　service　organisation　and
the　art　of　management　will　render　when　it　comes　to　actual　fighting。

Soc。　Why；　it　is　just　then；　I　presume；　it　will　be　of　most　service；　for
the　good　economist　knows　that　nothing　is　so　advantageous　or　so
lucrative　as　victory　in　battle；　or　to　put　it　negatively；　nothing　so
disastrous　and　expensive　as　defeat。　He　will　enthusiastically　seek　out
and　provide　everything　conducive　to　victory；　he　will　painstakingly
discover　and　guard　against　all　that　tends　to　defeat；　and　when
satisifed　that　all　is　ready　and　ripe　for　victory　he　will　deliver
battle　energetically；　and　what　is　equally　important；　until　the　hour　of
final　preparation　has　arrived；＇10＇　he　will　be　cautious　to　deliver
battle。　Do　not　despise　men　of　economic　genius；　Nicomachides；　the
difference　between　the　devotion　requisite　to　private　affairs　and　to
affairs　of　state　is　merely　one　of　quantity。　For　the　rest　the　parallel
holds　strictly；　and　in　this　respect　pre…eminently；　that　both　are
concerned　with　human　instruments：　which　human　beings；　moreover；　are　of
one　type　and　temperament；　whether　we　speak　of　devotion　to　public
affairs　or　of　the　administration　of　private　property。　To　fare　well　in
either　case　is　given　to　those　who　know　the　secret　of　dealing　with
humanity；　whereas　the　absence　of　that　knowledge　will　as　certainly
imply　in　either　case　a　fatal　note　of　discord。＇11＇

＇10＇　Lit。　〃as　long　as　he　is　unprepared。〃

＇11＇　L。　Dindorf；　〃Index　Graec。〃　Ox。　ed。；　cf。　Hor。　〃Ep。〃　II。　ii。　144；
　　　　〃sed　verae　numerosque　modosque　ediscere　vitae；〃　〃the　harmony　of
　　　　life；〃　Conington。


V

A　conversation　held　with　Pericles　the　son　of　the　great　statesman　may
here　be　introduced。＇1＇　Socrates　began：

＇1＇　Or；　〃On　one　occasion　Pericles　was　the　person　addressed　in
　　　　conversation。〃　For　Pericles　see　〃Hell。〃　I。　v。　16；　vii。　15；　Plut。
　　　　〃Pericl。〃　37　（Clough；　i。　368）。

I　am　looking　forward；　I　must　tell　you；　Pericles；　to　a　great
improvement　in　our　military　affairs　when　you　are　minister　of　war。＇2＇
The　prestige　of　Athens；　I　hope；　will　rise；　we　shall　gain　the　mastery
over　our　enemies。

＇2＇　〃Strategos。〃

Pericles　replied：　I　devoutly　wish　your　words　might　be　fulfilled；　but
how　this　happy　result　is　to　be　obtained；　I　am　at　a　loss　to　discover。

Shall　we　（Socrates　continued）；　shall　we　balance　the　arguments　for　and
against；　and　consider　to　what　extent　the　possibility　does　exist？

Pray　let　us　do　so　（he　answered）。

Soc。　Well　then；　you　know　that　in　point　of　numbers　the　Athenians　are
not　inferior　to　the　Boeotians？

Per。　Yes；　I　am　aware　of　that。

Soc。　And　do　you　think　the　Boeotians　could　furnish　a　better　pick　of
fine　healthy　men　than　the　Athenians？

Per。　I　think　we　should　very　well　hold　our　own　in　that　respect。

Soc。　And　which　of　the　two　would　you　take　to　be　the　more　united　people
the　friendlier　among　themselves？

Per。　The　Athenians；　I　should　say；　for　so　many　sections　of　the
Boeotians；　resenting　the　selfish　policy＇3＇　of　Thebes；　are　ill　disposed
to　that　power；　but　at　Athens　I　see　nothing　of　the　sort。

＇3＇　〃The　self…aggrandisement。〃

Soc。　But　perhaps　you　will　say　that　there　is　no　people　more　jealous　of
honour　or　haughtier　in　spirit。＇4＇　And　these　feelings　are　no　weak　spurs
to　quicken　even　a　dull　spirit　to　hazard　all　for　glory's　sake　and
fatherland。

＇4＇　Reading　｛megalophronestatoi｝；　after　Cobet。　See　〃Hipparch；〃　vii。　3；
　　　　or　if　as　vulg。　｛philophronestatoi｝；　transl。　〃more　affable。〃

Per。　Nor　is　there　much　fault　to　find　with　Athenians　in　these　respects。

Soc。　And　if　we　turn　to　consider　the　fair　deeds　of　ancestry；＇5＇　to　no
people　besides　ourselves　belongs　so　rich　a　heritage　of　stimulating
memories；　whereby　so　many　of　us　are　stirred　to　pursue　virtue　with
devotion　and　to　show　ourselves　in　our　turn　also　men　of　valour　like　our
sires。

＇5＇　See　Wesley's　anthem；　Eccles。　xliv。　1；　〃Let　us　now　praise　famous
　　　　men　and　our　fathers　that　begat　us。〃

Per。　All　that　you　say；　Socrates；　is　most　true；　but　do　you　observe　that
ever　since　the　disaster　of　the　thousand　under　Tolmides　at　Lebadeia；
coupled　with　that　under　Hippocrates　at　Delium；＇6＇　the　prestige　of
Athens　by　comparison　with　the　Boeotians　has　been　lowered；　whilst　the
spirit　of　Thebes　as　against　Athens　had　been　correspondingly　exalted；
so　that　those　Boeotians　who　in　old　days　did　not　venture　to　give　battle
to　the　Athenians　even　in　their　own　territory　unless　they　had　the
Lacedaemonians　and　the　rest　of　the　Peloponnesians　to　help　them；　do
nowadays　threaten　to　make　an　incursion　into　Attica　single…handed；　and
the　Athenians；　who　formerly；　if　they　had　to　deal　with　the　Boeotians＇7＇
only；　made　havoc　of　their　territory；　are　now　afraid　the　Boeotians　may
some　day　harry　Attica。

＇6＇　Lebadeia；　447　B。C。；　Delium；　424　B。C。　For　Tolmides　and　Hippocrates
　　　　see　Thuc。　i。　113；　iv。　100　foll。；　Grote；　〃H。　G。〃　v。　471；　vi。　533。

＇7＇　Reading　｛ote　B。　monoi｝；　al。　｛ou　monoi｝；　〃when　the　Boeotians　were
　　　　not　unaided。〃

To　which　Socrates：　Yes；　I　perceive　that　this　is　so；　but　it　seems　to　me
that　the　state　was　never　more　tractably　disposed；　never　so　ripe　for　a
really　good　leader；　as　to…day。　For　if　boldness　be　the　parent　of
carelessness；　laxity；　and　insubordination；　it　is　the　part　of　fear　to
make　people　more　disposed　to　application；　obedience；　and　good　order。　A
proof　of　which　you　may　discover　in　the　behaviour　of　people　on　ship…
board。　It　is　in　seasons　of　calm　weather　when　there　is　nothing　to　fear
that　disorder　may　be　said　to　reign；　but　as　soon　as　there　is
apprehension　of　a　storm；　or　an　enemy　in　sight；　the　scene　changes；　not
only　is　each　word　of　command　obeyed；　but　there　is　a　hush　of　silent
expectation；　the　mariners　wait　to　catch　the　next　signal　like　an
orchestra　with　eyes　upon　the　leader。

Per。　But　indeed；　given　that　now　is　the　opportunity　to　take　obedience
at　the　flood；　it　is　high　time　also　to　explain　by　what　means　we　are　to
rekindle　in　the　hearts　of　our　countrymen＇8＇　the　old　firesthe
passionate　longing　for　antique　valour；　for　the　glory　and　the　wellbeing
of　the　days　of　old。

＇8＇　Reading　｛anerasthenai｝；　Schneider's　emendation　of　the　vulg。
　　　　｛aneristhenai｝。

Well　（proceeded　Socrates）；　supposing　we　wished　them　to　lay　claim　to
certain　material　wealth　now　held　by　others；　we　could　not　better
stimulate　them　to　lay　hands　on　the　objects　coveted　than　by　showing
them　that　these　were　ancestral　possessions＇9＇　to　which　they　had　a
natural　right。　But　since　our　object　is　that　they　should　set　their
hearts　on　virtuous　pre…eminence；　we　must　prove　to　them　that　such
headship　combined　with　virtue　is　an　old　time…honoured　heritage　which
pertains　to　them　beyond　all　others；　and　that　if　they　strive　earnestly
after　it　they　will　soon　out…top　the　world。

＇9＇　Cf。　Solon　in　the　matter　of　Salamis；　Plut。　〃Sol。〃　8；　Bergk。　〃Poet。
　　　　Lyr。　Gr。　Solon；〃　SALAMIS；　i。　2；　3。

Por。　How　are　we　to　inculcate　this　lesson？

Soc。　I　think　by　reminding　them　of　a　fact　already　registered　in　their
minds；＇10＇　that　the　oldest　of　our　ancestors　whose　names　are　known　to
us　were　also　the　bravest　of　heroes。

＇10＇　Or；　〃to　which　their　ears　are　already　opened。〃

Per。　I　suppose　you　refer　to　that　judgment　of　the　gods　which；　for　their
virtue's　sake；　Cecrops　and　his　followers　were　called　on　to　decide？＇11＇

＇11＇　See　Apollodorus；　iii。　14。

Soc。　Yes；　I　refer　to　that　and　to　the　birth　and　rearing　of
Erectheus；＇12＇　and　also　to　the　war＇13＇　which　in　his　days　was　waged　to
stay　the　tide　of　invasion　from　the　whole　adjoining　continent；　and　that
other　war　in　the　days　of　the　Heraclidae＇14＇　against　the　men　of
Peloponnese；　and　that　series　of　battles　fought　in　the　days　of
Theseus＇15＇in　all　which　the　virtuous　pre…eminence　of　our　ancestry
above　the　men　of　their　own　times　was　made　manifest。　Or；　if　you　please；
we　may　come　down　to　things　of　a　later　date；　which　their　descendants
and　the　heroes　of　days　not　so　long　anterior　to　our　own　wrought　in　the
struggle　with　the　lords　of　Asia；＇16＇　nay　of　Europe　also；　as　far　as
Macedonia：　a　people　possessing　a　power　and　means　of　attack　far
exceeding　any　who　had　gone　beforewho；　moreover；　had　accomplished　the
doughtiest　deeds。　These　things　the　men　of　Athens　wrought　partly
single…handed；＇17＇　and　partly　as　sharers　with　the　Peloponnesians　in
laurels　won　by　land　and　sea。　Heroes　were　these　men　also；　far
outshining；　as　tradition　tells　us；　the　peoples　of　their　time。

＇12＇