timaeu-第16章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


part　of　his　life　deranged；　because　his　pleasures　and　pains　are　so　very

great；　his　soul　is　rendered　foolish　and　disordered　by　his　body；　yet　he

is　regarded　not　as　one　diseased；　but　as　one　who　is　voluntarily　bad；

which　is　a　mistake。　The　truth　is　that　the　intemperance　of　love　is　a

disease　of　the　soul　due　chiefly　to　the　moisture　and　fluidity　which

is　produced　in　one　of　the　elements　by　the　loose　consistency　of　the

bones。　And　in　general；　all　that　which　is　termed　the　incontinence　of

pleasure　and　is　deemed　a　reproach　under　the　idea　that　the　wicked

voluntarily　do　wrong　is　not　justly　a　matter　for　reproach。　For　no　man

is　voluntarily　bad；　but　the　bad　become　bad　by　reason　of　an　ill

disposition　of　the　body　and　bad　education；　things　which　are　hateful　to

every　man　and　happen　to　him　against　his　will。　And　in　the　case　of

pain　too　in　like　manner　the　soul　suffers　much　evil　from　the　body。

For　where　the　acid　and　briny　phlegm　and　other　bitter　and　bilious

humours　wander　about　in　the　body；　and　find　no　exit　or　escape；　but

are　pent　up　within　and　mingle　their　own　vapours　with　the　motions　of

the　soul；　and　are　blended；　with　them；　they　produce　all　sorts　of

diseases；　more　or　fewer；　and　in　every　degree　of　intensity；　and　being

carried　to　the　three　places　of　the　soul；　whichever　they　may

severally　assail；　they　create　infinite　varieties　of　ill…temper　and

melancholy；　of　rashness　and　cowardice；　and　also　of　forgetfulness　and

stupidity。　Further；　when　to　this　evil　constitution　of　body　evil

forms　of　government　are　added　and　evil　discourses　are　uttered　in

private　as　well　as　in　public；　and　no　sort　of　instruction　is　given　in

youth　to　cure　these　evils；　then　all　of　us　who　are　bad　become　bad

from　two　causes　which　are　entirely　beyond　our　control。　In　such　cases

the　planters　are　to　blame　rather　than　the　plants；　the　educators　rather

than　the　educated。　But　however　that　may　be；　we　should　endeavour　as　far

as　we　can　by　education；　and　studies；　and　learning；　to　avoid　vice　and

attain　virtue；　this；　however；　is　part　of　another　subject。

　　There　is　a　corresponding　enquiry　concerning　the　mode　of　treatment　by

which　the　mind　and　the　body　are　to　be　preserved；　about　which　it　is

meet　and　right　that　I　should　say　a　word　in　turn；　for　it　is　more　our

duty　to　speak　of　the　good　than　of　the　evil。　Everything　that　is　good　is

fair；　and　the　animal　fair　is　not　without　proportion；　and　the　animal

which　is　to　be　fair　must　have　due　proportion。　Now　we　perceive　lesser

symmetries　or　proportions　and　reason　about　them；　but　of　the　highest

and　greatest　we　take　no　heed；　for　there　is　no　proportion　or

disproportion　more　productive　of　health　and　disease；　and　virtue　and

vice；　than　that　between　soul　and　body。　This　however　we　do　not

perceive；　nor　do　we　reflect　that　when　a　weak　or　small　frame　is　the

vehicle　of　a　great　and　mighty　soul；　or　conversely；　when　a　little

soul　is　encased　in　a　large　body；　then　the　whole　animal　is　not　fair；

for　it　lacks　the　most　important　of　all　symmetries；　but　the　due

proportion　of　mind　and　body　is　the　fairest　and　loveliest　of　all　sights

to　him　who　has　the　seeing　eye。　Just　as　a　body　which　has　a　leg　too

long；　or　which　is　unsymmetrical　in　some　other　respect；　is　an

unpleasant　sight；　and　also；　when　doing　its　share　of　work；　is　much

distressed　and　makes　convulsive　efforts；　and　often　stumbles　through

awkwardness；　and　is　the　cause　of　infinite　evil　to　its　own　self…in　like

manner　we　should　conceive　of　the　double　nature　which　we　call　the

living　being；　and　when　in　this　compound　there　is　an　impassioned　soul

more　powerful　than　the　body；　that　soul；　I　say；　convulses　and　fills

with　disorders　the　whole　inner　nature　of　man；　and　when　eager　in　the

pursuit　of　some　sort　of　learning　or　study；　causes　wasting；　or　again；

when　teaching　or　disputing　in　private　or　in　public；　and　strifes　and

controversies　arise；　inflames　and　dissolves　the　composite　frame　of　man

and　introduces　rheums；　and　the　nature　of　this　phenomenon　is　not

understood　by　most　professors　of　medicine；　who　ascribe　it　to　the

opposite　of　the　real　cause。　And　once　more；　when　body　large　and　too

strong　for　the　soul　is　united　to　a　small　and　weak　intelligence；　then

inasmuch　as　there　are　two　desires　natural　to　man；…one　of　food　for

the　sake　of　the　body；　and　one　of　wisdom　for　the　sake　of　the　diviner

part　of　us…then；　I　say；　the　motions　of　the　stronger；　getting　the

better　and　increasing　their　own　power；　but　making　the　soul　dull；　and

stupid；　and　forgetful；　engender　ignorance；　which　is　the　greatest　of

diseases。　There　is　one　protection　against　both　kinds　of

disproportion：…that　we　should　not　move　the　body　without　the　soul　or

the　soul　without　the　body；　and　thus　they　will　be　on　their　guard

against　each　other；　and　be　healthy　and　well　balanced。　And　therefore

the　mathematician　or　any　one　else　whose　thoughts　are　much　absorbed

in　some　intellectual　pursuit；　must　allow　his　body　also　to　have　due

exercise；　and　practise　gymnastic；　and　he　who　is　careful　to　fashion　the

body；　should　in　turn　impart　to　the　soul　its　proper　motions；　and　should

cultivate　music　and　all　philosophy；　if　he　would　deserve　to　be　called

truly　fair　and　truly　good。　And　the　separate　parts　should　be　treated　in

the　same　manner；　in　imitation　of　the　pattern　of　the　universe；　for　as

the　body　is　heated　and　also　cooled　within　by　the　elements　which

enter　into　it；　and　is　again　dried　up　and　moistened　by　external　things；

and　experiences　these　and　the　like　affections　from　both　kinds　of

motions；　the　result　is　that　the　body　if　given　up　to　motion　when　in　a

state　of　quiescence　is　overmastered　and　perishes；　but　if　any　one；　in

imitation　of　that　which　we　call　the　foster…mother　and　nurse　of　the

universe；　will　not　allow　the　body　ever　to　be　inactive；　but　is　always

producing　motions　and　agitations　through　its　whole　extent；　which

form　the　natural　defence　against　other　motions　both　internal　and

external；　and　by　moderate　exercise　reduces　to　order　according　to　their

affinities　the　particles　and　affections　which　are　wandering　about

the　body；　as　we　have　already　said　when　speaking　of　the　universe；　he

will　not　allow　enemy　placed　by　the　side　of　enemy　to　stir　up　wars　and

disorders　in　the　body；　but　he　will　place　friend　by　the　side　of　friend；

so　as　to　create　health。

　　Now　of　all　motions　that　is　the　best　which　is　produced　in　a　thing

by　itself；　for　it　is　most　akin　to　the　motion　of　thought　and　of　the

universe；　but　that　motion　which　is　caused　by　others　is　not　so　good；

and　worst　of　all　is　that　which　moves　the　body；　when　at　rest；　in

parts　only　and　by　some　external　agency。　Wherefore　of　all　modes　of

purifying　and　reuniting　the　body　the　best　is　gymnastic；　the　next

best　is　a　surging　motion；　as　in　sailing　or　any　other　mode　of

conveyance　which　is　not　fatiguing；　the　third　sort　of　motion　may　be

of　use　in　a　case　of　extreme　necessity；　but　in　any　other　will　be

adopted　by　no　man　of　sense：　I　mean　the　purgative　treatment　of

physicians；　for　diseases　unless　they　are　very　dangerous　should　not

be　irritated　by　medicines；　since　every　form　of　disease　is　in　a

manner　akin　to　the　living　being；　whose　complex　frame　has　an

appointed　term　of　life。　For　not　the　whole　race　only；　but　each

individual…barring　inevitable　accidents…comes　into　the　world　having

a　fixed　span；　and　the　triangles　in　us　are　originally　framed　with　power

to　last　for　a　certain　time；　beyond　which　no　man　prolong　his　life。

And　this　holds　also　of　the　constitution　of　diseases；　if　any　one

regardless　of　the　appointed　time　tries　to　subdue　them　by　medicine；

he　only　aggravates　and　multiplies　them。　Wherefore　we　ought　always　to

manage　them　by　regimen；　as　far　as　a　man　can　spare　the　time；　and　not

provoke　a　disagreeable　enemy　by　medicines。

　　Enough　of　the　composite　animal；　and　of　the　body　which　is　a　part　of

him；　and　of　the　manner　in　which　a　man　may　train　and　be　trained　by

himself　so　as　to　live　most　according　to　reason：　and　we　must　above

and　before　all　provide　that　the　element　which　is　to　train　him　shall　be

the　fairest　and　best　adapted　to　that　purpose。　A　minute　discussion　of

this　subject　would　be　a　serious　task；　but　if；　as　before；　I　am　to

give　only　an　outline；　the　subject　may　not　unfitly　be　summed　up　as

follows。

　　I　have　often　remarked　that　there　are　three　kinds　of　soul　located

within　us；　having　each　of　them　motions；　and　I　must　now　repeat　in　the

fewest　words　possible；　that　one　part；　if　remaining　inactive　and

ceasing　from　its　natural　motion；　must　necessarily　become　very　weak；

but　that　which　is　trained　and　exercised；　very　strong。　Wherefore　we

should　take　care　that　the　movements　of　the　different　parts　of　the　soul

should　be　in　due　proportion。

　　And　we　should　consider　that　God　gave　the　sovereign　part　of　the　human

soul　to　be　the　divinity　of　each　one；　being　that　part　which；　as　we　say；

dwells　at　the　top　of　the　body；　inasmuch　as　we　are　a　plant　not　of　an

earthly　but　of　a　heavenly　growth；　raises　us　from　earth　to　our

kindred　who　are　in　heaven。　And　in　this　we　say　truly；　for　the　divine

power　suspended　the　head　and　root　of　us　from　that　place　where　the

generation　of　the　soul　first　began；　and　thus　made　the　whole　body

upright。　When　a　man　is　always　occupied　with　the　cravings　of　desire　and

ambition；　and　is　eagerly　striving　to　satisfy　them；　all　his　thoughts

must　be　mortal；　and；　as　far　as　it　is　possible　altogether　to　become

such；　he　must　be　mortal　every　whit；　because　he　has　cherished　his

mortal　part。　But　he　who　has　been　earnest　in　the　love　of　knowledge

and　of　true　wisdom；　and　has　exercised　his　intellect　more　than　any

other　part　of　him；　must　have　thoughts　immortal　and　divine；　if　he

attain　truth；　and　in　so　far　as　human　nature　is　capable　of　sharing　in

immortality；　he　must　altogether　be　immortal；　and　since　he　is　ever

cherishing　the　divine　power；　and　has　the　divinity　within　him　in

perfect　order；　he　will　be　perfectly　happy。　Now　there　is　only　one　way

of　taking　care　of　things；　and　this　is　to　give　to　each　the　food　and

motion　which　are　natural　to　it。　And　the　motions　which　are　naturally

akin　to　the　divine　principle　within　us　are　the　thoughts　and

revolutions　of　the　universe。　These　each　man　should　follow；　and　correct

the　courses　of　the　head　which　were　corrupted　at　our　birth；　and　by

learning　the　harmonies　and　revolutions　of　the　universe；　should

assimilate　the　thinking　being　to　the　thought；　renewing　his　original

nature；　and　having　assimilated　them　should　attain　to　that　perfect　life

which　the　gods　have　set　before　mankind；　both　for　the　present　and　the

future。

　　Thus　our　original　design　of　discoursing　about　the　universe　down　to

the　creation　of　man　is　nearly　completed。　A　brief　mention　may　be　made

of　the　generation　of　other　animals；　so　far　as　the　subject　admits　of

brevity；　in　this　manner　our　argument　will　best　attain　a　due

proportion。　On　the　subject　of　animals；　then；　the　following　remarks　may

be　offered。　Of　the　men　who　came　into　the　world；　those　who　were　cowards

or　led　unrighteous　lives　may　with　reason　be　supposed　to　have　changed

into　the　nature　of　women　in　the　second　generation。　And　this　was　the

reason　why　at　that　time　the　gods　created　in　us　the　desire　of　sexual

intercourse；　contriving　in　man　one　animated　substance；　and　in　woman

another；　which　they　formed　respectively　in　the　following　m