the memorabilia-第3章

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after　holiness；　and　once　forgetting　this；　what　wonder　that　the　man
should　let　slip　also　the　memory　of　virtue　itself！　Again　I　see　that　a
man　who　falls　into　habits　of　drunkenness　or　plunges　headlong　into
licentious　love；　loses　his　old　power　of　practising　the　right　and
abstaining　from　the　wrong。　Many　a　man　who　has　found　frugality　easy
whilst　passion　was　cold；　no　sooner　falls　in　love　than　he　loses　the
faculty　at　once；　and　in　his　prodigal　expenditure　of　riches　he　will　no
longer　withhold　his　hand　from　gains　which　in　former　days　were　too　base
to　invite　his　touch。　Where　then　is　the　difficulty　of　supposing　that　a
man　may　be　temperate　to…day；　and　to…morrow　the　reverse；　or　that　he　who
once　has　had　it　in　his　power　to　act　virtuously　may　not　quite　lose　that
power？＇10＇　To　myself；　at　all　events；　it　seems　that　all　beautiful　and
noble　things　are　the　result　of　constant　practice　and　training；　and
pre…eminently　the　virtue　of　temperance；　seeing　that　in　one　and　the
same　bodily　frame　pleasures　are　planted　and　spring　up　side　by　side
with　the　soul　and　keep　whispering　in　her　ear；　〃Have　done　with　self…
restraint；　make　haste　to　gratify　us　and　the　body。〃＇11＇

＇8＇　Theognis；　35；　36。　See　〃Symp。〃　ii。　4；　Plat。　〃Men。〃　95　D。

＇9＇　The　author　is　unknown。　See　Plat。　〃Protag。〃　l。c。

＇10＇　Cf。　〃Cyrop。〃　V。　i。　9　foll。；　VI。　i。　41。

＇11＇　See　my　remarks；　〃Hellenica　Essays；〃　p。　371　foll。

But　to　return　to　Critias　and　Alcibiades；　I　repeat　that　as　long　as　they
lived　with　Socrates　they　were　able　by　his　support　to　dominate　their
ignoble　appetites；＇12＇　but　being　separated　from　him；　Critias　had　to
fly　to　Thessaly；＇13＇　where　he　consorted　with　fellows　better　versed　in
lawlessness　than　justice。　And　Alcibiades　fared　no　better。　His　personal
beauty　on　the　one　hand　incited　bevies　of　fine　ladies＇14＇　to　hunt　him
down　as　fair　spoil；　while　on　the　other　hand　his　influence　in　the　state
and　among　the　allies　exposed　him　to　the　corruption　of　many　an　adept　in
the　arts　of　flattery；　honoured　by　the　democracy　and　stepping　easily　to
the　front　rank　he　behaved　like　an　athlete　who　in　the　games　of　the
Palaestra　is　so　assured　of　victory　that　he　neglects　his　training；　thus
he　presently　forgot　the　duty　which　he　owed　himself。

＇12＇　Cf。　＇Plat。＇　〃Theag。〃　130　A。

＇13＇　See　〃Hell。〃　II。　iii。　36。

＇14＇　Cf。　Plut。　〃Ages。；〃　〃Alcib。〃

Such　were　the　misadventures　of　these　two。　Is　the　sequel　extraordinary？
Inflated　with　the　pride　of　ancestry；＇15＇　exalted　by　their　wealth；
puffed　up　by　power；　sapped　to　the　soul's　core　by　a　host　of　human
tempters；　separate　moreover　for　many　a　long　day　from　Socrateswhat
wonder　that　they　reached　the　full　stature　of　arrogancy！　And　for　the
offences　of　these　two　Socrates　is　to　be　held　responsible！　The　accuser
will　have　it　so。　But　for　the　fact　that　in　early　days；　when　they　were
both　young　and　of　an　age　when　dereliction　from　good　feeling　and　self…
restraint　might　have　been　expected；　this　same　Socrates　kept　them
modest　and　well…behaved；　not　one　word　of　praise　is　uttered　by　the
accuser　for　all　this。　That　is　not　the　measure　of　justice　elsewhere
meted。　Would　a　master　of　the　harp　or　flute；　would　a　teacher　of　any
sort　who　has　turned　out　proficient　pupils；　be　held　to　account　because
one　of　them　goes　away　to　another　teacher　and　turns　out　to　be　a
failure？　Or　what　father；　if　he　have　a　son　who　in　the　society　of　a
certain　friend　remains　an　honest　lad；　but　falling　into　the　company　of
some　other　becomes　a　good…for…nothing；　will　that　father　straightway
accuse　the　earlier　instructor？　Will　not　he　rather；　in　proportion　as
the　boy　deteriorates　in　the　company　of　the　latter；　bestow　more
heartfelt　praise　upon　the　former？　What　father；　himself　sharing　the
society　of　his　own　children；　is　held　to　blame　for　their
transgressions；　if　only　his　own　goodness　be　established？　Here　would
have　been　a　fair　test　to　apply　to　Socrates：　Was　he　guilty　of　any　base
conduct　himself？　If　so　let　him　be　set　down　as　a　knave；　but　if；　on　the
contrary；　he　never　faltered　in　sobriety　from　beginning　to　end；　how　in
the　name　of　justice　is　he　to　be　held　to　account　for　a　baseness　which
was　not　in　him？

＇15＇　Or；　〃became　overweening　in　arrogance。〃　Cf。　〃Henry　VIII。　II。　iv。
　　　　110〃：　〃But　your　heart　is　crammed　with　arrogancy；　spleen；　and
　　　　pride。〃

I　go　further：　if；　short　of　being　guilty　of　any　wrong　himself；　he　saw
the　evil　doings　of　others　with　approval；　reason　were　he　should　be　held
blameworthy。　Listen　then：　Socrates　was　well　aware　that　Critias　was
attached　to　Euthydemus；＇16＇　aware　too　that　he　was　endeavouring　to　deal
by　him　after　the　manner　of　those　wantons　whose　love　is　carnal　of　the
body。　From　this　endeavour　he　tried　to　deter　him；　pointing　out　how
illiberal　a　thing　it　was；　how　ill　befitting　a　man　of　honour　to　appear
as　a　beggar　before　him　whom　he　loved；　in　whose　eyes　he　would　fain　be
precious；　ever　petitioning　for　something　base　to　give　and　base　to　get。

＇16＇　See　below；　IV。　ii。　1　（if　the　same　person）。

But　when　this　reasoning　fell　on　deaf　ears　and　Critias　refused　to　be
turned　aside；　Socrates；　as　the　story　goes；　took　occasion　of　the
presence　of　a　whole　company　and　of　Euthydemus　to　remark　that　Critias
appeared　to　be　suffering　from　a　swinish　affection；　or　else　why　this
desire　to　rub　himself　against　Euthydemus　like　a　herd　of　piglings
scraping　against　stones。

The　hatred　of　Critias　to　Socrates　doubtless　dates　from　this　incident。
He　treasured　it　up　against　him；　and　afterwards；　when　he　was　one　of　the
Thirty　and　associated　with　Charicles　as　their　official　lawgiver；＇17＇
he　framed　the　law　against　teaching　the　art　of　words＇18＇　merely　from　a
desire　to　vilify　Socrates。　He　was　at　a　loss　to　know　how　else　to　lay
hold　of　him　except　by　levelling　against　him　the　vulgar　charge＇19＇
against　philosophers；　by　which　he　hoped　to　prejudice　him　with　the
public。　It　was　a　charge　quite　unfounded　as　regards　Socrates；　if　I　may
judge　from　anything　I　ever　heard　fall　from　his　lips　myself　or　have
learnt　about　him　from　others。　But　the　animus　of　Critias　was　clear。　At
the　time　when　the　Thirty　were　putting　citizens；　highly　respectable
citizens；　to　death　wholesale；　and　when　they　were　egging　on　one　man
after　another　to　the　commission　of　crime；　Socrates　let　fall　an
observation：　〃It　would　be　sufficiently　extraordinary　if　the　keeper　of
a　herd　of　cattle＇20＇　who　was　continually　thinning　and　impoverishing
his　cattle　did　not　admit　himself　to　be　a　sorry　sort　of　herdsman；　but
that　a　ruler　of　the　state　who　was　continually　thinning　and
impoverishing　the　citizens　should　neither　be　ashamed　nor　admit　himself
to　be　a　sorry　sort　of　ruler　was　more　extraordinary　still。〃　The　remark
being　reported　to　the　government；　Socrates　was　summoned　by　Critias　and
Charicles；　who　proceeded　to　point　out　the　law　and　forbade　him　to
converse　with　the　young。　〃Was　it　open　to　him；〃　Socrates　inquired　of
the　speaker；　〃in　case　he　failed　to　understand　their　commands　in　any
point；　to　ask　for　an　explanation？〃

＇17＇　Lit。　〃Nomothetes。〃　See　〃Hell。〃　II。　iii。　2；　Dem。　706。　For
　　　　Charicles　see　Lys。　〃c。　Eratosth。〃　S。　56；　Aristot。　〃Pol。〃　v。　6。　6。

＇18＇　See　Diog。　Laert。　II。　v。　（〃Socr。〃）

＇19＇　i。e。　｛to　ton　etto　logon　kreitto　poiein｝；　〃of　making　the　worse
　　　　appear　the　better　cause。〃　Cf。　Arist。　〃Clouds。〃

＇20＇　See　Dio　Chrys。　〃Or。〃　43。

〃Certainly；〃　the　two　assented。

Then　Socrates：　I　am　prepared　to　obey　the　laws；　but　to　avoid
transgression　of　the　law　through　ignorance　I　need　instruction：　is　it
on　the　supposition　that　the　art　of　words　tends　to　correctness　of
statement　or　to　incorrectness　that　you　bid　us　abstain　from　it？　for　if
the　former；　it　is　clear　we　must　abstain　from　speeking　correctly；　but
if　the　latter；　our　endeavour　should　be　to　amend　our　speech。

To　which　Charicles；　in　a　fit　of　temper；　retorted：　In　consideration　of
your　ignorance；＇21＇　Socrates；　we　will　frame　the　prohibition　in
language　better　suited　to　your　intelligence：　we　forbid　you　to　hold　any
conversation　whatsoever　with　the　young。

＇21＇　See　Aristot。　〃de　Soph。　El。〃　183　b7。

Then　Socrates：　To　avoid　all　ambiguity　then；　or　the　possibility　of　my
doing　anything　else　than　what　you　are　pleased　to　command；　may　I　ask
you　to　define　up　to　what　age　a　human　being　is　to　be　considered　young？

For　just　so　long　a　time　（Charicles　answered）　as　he　is　debarred　from
sitting　as　a　member　of　the　Council；＇22＇　as　not　having　attained　to　the
maturity　of　wisdom；　accordingly　you　will　not　hold　converse　with　any
one　under　the　age　of　thirty。

＇22＇　The　Boule　or　Senate。　See　W。　L。　Newman；　〃Pol。　Aristot。〃　i。　326。

Soc。　In　making　a　purchase　even；　I　am　not　to　ask；　what　is　the　price　of
this？　if　the　vendor　is　under　the　age　of　thirty？

Cha。　Tut；　things　of　that　sort：　but　you　know；　Socrates；　that　you　have　a
way　of　asking　questions；　when　all　the　while　you　know　how　the　matter
stands。　Let　us　have　no　questions　of　that　sort。

Soc。　Nor　answers　either；　I　suppose；　if　the　inquiry　concerns　what　I
know；　as；　for　instance；　where　does　Charicles　live？　or　where　is　Critias
to　be　found？

Oh　yes；　of　course；　things　of　that　kind　（replied　Charicles）；　while
Critias　added：　But　at　the　same　time　you　had　better　have　done　with　your
shoemakers；　carpenters；　and　coppersmiths。＇23＇　These　must　be　pretty
well　trodden　out　at　heel　by　this　time；　considering　the　circulation　you
have　given　them。

＇23＇　Cf。　Plat。　〃Gorg。〃　491　A；　〃Symp。〃　221　E；　Dio　Chrys。　〃Or。〃　55；　560
　　　　D；　564　A。

Soc。　And　am　I　to　hold　away　from　their　attendant　topics　alsothe　just；
the　holy；　and　the　like？

Most　assuredly　（answered　Charicles）；　and　from　cowherds　in　particular；
or　else　see　that　you　do　not　lessen　the　number　of　the　herd　yourself。

Thus　the　secret　was　out。　The　remark　of　Socrates　about　the　cattle　had
come　to　their　ears；　and　they　could　not　forgive　the　author　of　it。

Perhaps　enough　has　been　said　to　explain　the　kind　of　intimacy　which　had
subsisted　between　Critias　and　Socrates；　and　their　relation　to　one
another。　But　I　will　venture　to　maintain　that　where　the　teacher　is　not
pleasing　to　the　pupil　there　is　no　education。　Now　it　cannot　be　said　of
Critias　and　Alcibiades　that　they　associated　with　Socrates　because　they
found　him　pleasing　to　them。　And　this　is　true　of　the　whole　period。　From
the　first　their　eyes　were　fixed　on　the　headship　of　the　state　as　their
final　goal。　During　the　time　of　their　imtimacy　with　Socrates　there　were
no　disputants　whom　they　were　more　eager　to　encounter　than　professed
politicians。

Thus　the　story　is　told　of　Alcibiadeshow　before　the　age　of　twenty　he
engaged　his　own　guardian；　Pericles；　at　that　time　prime　minister　of　the
state；　in　a　discussion　concerning　laws。

Alc。　Please；　Pericles；　can　you　teach　me　what　a　law　is？

Per。　To　be　sure　I　can。

Alc。　I　should　be　so　much　obliged　if　you　would　do　so。　One　so　often
hears　the　epithet　〃law…abiding〃　applied　in　a　complimentary　sense；　yet；
it　strikes　me；　one　hardly　deserves　the　compliment；　if　one　does　not
know　what　a　law　is。

Per。　Fortunately　there　is　a　ready　answer　to　your　difficulty。　You　wish
to　know　what　a　law　is？　Well；　those　are　laws　which　the　majority；　being
met　together　in　conclave；　approve　and　enact　as　to　what　it　is　right　to
do；　and　what　it　is　right　to　abstain　from　doing。

Alc。　Enact　on　the　hypothesis　that　it　is　right　to　do　what　is　good？　or
to　do　what　is　bad？

Per。　What　is　good；　to　be　sure；　young　sir；　not　what　is　bad。

Alc。　Supposing　it　is　not　the　m