alexandria and her schools(亚历山大和她的学校)-第15章
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allegoric one。 But has he thrown them away for the sake of getting a step
nearer to Socrates； or Plato； or Aristotle？ Surely not。 To them； as to the
old Jewish sages； man is most important when regarded not merely as a
soul； but as a man； a social being of flesh and blood。 Aristotle declares
politics to be the architectonical science； the family and social relations to
be the eternal master…facts of humanity。 Plato； in his Republic； sets before
himself the Constitution of a State； as the crowning problem of his
philosophy。 Every work of his； like every saying of his master Socrates；
deals with the common； outward； vulgar facts of human life； and asserts
that there is a divine meaning in them； and that reverent induction from
them is the way to obtain the deepest truths。 Socrates and Plato were as
little inclined to separate the man and the philosopher as Moses； Solomon；
or Isaiah were。 When Philo； by allegorising away the simple human
parts of his books； is untrue to Moses's teaching； he becomes untrue to
Plato's。 He becomes untrue； I believe； to a higher teaching than Plato's。
He loses sight of an eternal truth； which even old Homer might have
taught him； when he treats Moses as one section of his disciples in after
years treated Homer。
For what is the secret of the eternal freshness； the eternal beauty； ay； I
may say boldly； in spite of all their absurdities and immoralities； the
eternal righteousness of those old Greek myths？ What is it which made
Socrates and Plato cling lovingly and reverently to them； they scarce knew
why； while they deplored the immoralities to which they had given rise？
What is it which made those myths； alone of all old mythologies； the
parents of truly beautiful sculpture； painting； poetry？ What is it which
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makes us love them still； find； even at times against our consciences； new
meaning； new beauty in them； and brings home the story of Perseas or of
Hercules； alike to the practised reason of Niebuhr； and the untutored
instincts of Niebuhr's little child； for whom he threw them into simplest
forms？ Why is it that in spite of our disagreeing with their creed and
their morality； we still persistand long may we persist； or rather be
compelledas it were by blind instinct； to train our boys upon those old
Greek dreams； and confess； whenever we try to find a substitute for them
in our educational schemes； that we have as yet none？ Because those old
Greek stories do represent the Deities as the archetypes； the kinsmen； the
teachers； the friends； the inspirers of men。 Because while the schoolboy
reads how the Gods were like to men； only better； wiser； greater； how the
Heroes are the children of the Gods； and the slayers of the monsters which
devour the earth； how Athene taught men weaving； and Phoebus music；
and Vulcan the cunning of the stithy； how the Gods took pity on the noble…
hearted son of Danae； and lent him celestial arms and guided him over
desert and ocean to fulfil his vowthat boy is learning deep lessons of
metaphysic； more in accordance with the reine vernunft； the pure reason
whereby man perceives that which is moral； and spiritual； and eternal； than
he would from all disquisitions about being and becoming； about
actualities and potentialities； which ever tormented the weary brain of
man。
Let us not despise the gem because it has been broken to fragments；
obscured by silt and mud。 Still less let us fancy that one least fragment
of it is not more precious than the most brilliant paste jewel of our own
compounding； though it be polished and faceted never so completely。
For what are all these myths but fragments of that great metaphysic idea；
which； I boldly say； I believe to be at once the justifier and the harmoniser
of all philosophic truth which man has ever discovered； or will discover；
which Philo saw partially； and yet clearly； which the Hebrew sages
perceived far more deeply； because more humanly and practically； which
Saint Paul the Platonist； and yet the Apostle； raised to its highest power；
when he declared that the immutable and self…existent Being； for whom
the Greek sages sought； and did not altogether seek in vain； has gathered
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together all things both in heaven and in earth in one inspiring and
creating Logos； who is both God and Man？
Be this as it may； we find that from the time of Philo； the deepest
thought of the heathen world began to flow in a theologic channel。 All
the great heathen thinkers henceforth are theologians。 In the times of
Nero； for instance； Epictetus the slave； the regenerator of Stoicism； is no
mere speculator concerning entities and quiddities； correct or incorrect。
He is a slave searching for the secret of freedom； and finding that it
consists in escaping not from a master； but from self： not to wealth and
power； but to Jove。 He discovers that Jove is； in some most mysterious；
but most real sense； the Father of men； he learns to look up to that Father
as his guide and friend。
Numenius； again； in the second century； was a man who had evidently
studied Philo。 He perceived so deeply； I may say so exaggeratedly； the
analogy between the Jewish and the Platonic assertions of an Absolute and
Eternal Being； side by side with the assertion of a Divine Teacher of man；
that he is said to have uttered the startling saying： 〃What is Plato but
Moses talking Attic？〃 Doubtless Plato is not that： but the expression is
remarkable； as showing the tendency of the age。 He too looks up to God
with prayers for the guidance of his reason。 He too enters into
speculation concerning God in His absoluteness； and in His connection
with the universe。 〃The Primary God；〃 he says； 〃must be free from
works and a King； but the Demiurgus must exercise government； going
through the heavens。 Through Him comes this our condition； through
Him Reason being sent down in efflux； holds communion with all who are
prepared for it： God then looking down； and turning Himself to each of
us； it comes to pass that our bodies live and are nourished； receiving
strength from the outer rays which come from Him。 But when God turns
us to the contemplation of Himself； it comes to pass that these things are
worn out and consumed； but that the reason lives； being partaker of a
blessed life。〃
This passage is exceedingly interesting； as containing both the marrow
of old Hebrew metaphysic； and also certain notional elements； of which
we find no trace in the Scripture； and which may leadas we shall find
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they afterwards did leadto confusing the moral with the notional； and
finally the notional with the material； in plain words； to Pantheism。
You find this tendency； in short； in all the philosophers who flourished
between the age of Augustus and the rise of Alexandrian Neoplatonism。
Gibbon； while he gives an approving pat on the back to his pet
〃Philosophic Emperor；〃 Marcus Aurelius； blinks the fact that Marcus's
philosophy； like that of Plutarch； contains as an integral element； a belief
which to him would have been； I fear； simply ludicrous； from its strange
analogy with the belief of John； the Christian Apostle。 What is Marcus
Aurelius's cardinal doctrine？ That there is a God within him； a Word； a
Logos； which 〃has hold of him；〃 and who is his teacher and guardian； that
over and above his body and his soul； he has a Reason which is capable of
〃hearing that Divine Word； and obeying the monitions of that God。〃
What is Plutarch's cardinal doctrine？ That the same Word； the Daemon
who spoke to the heart of Socrates； is speaking to him and to every
philosopher； 〃coming into contact；〃 he says； 〃with him in some wonderful
manner； addressing the reason of those who； like Socrates； keep their
reason pure； not under the dominion of passion； nor mixing itself greatly
with the body； and therefore quick and sensitive in responding to that
which encountered it。
You see from these two extracts what questions were arising in the
minds of men； and how they touched on ethical and theological questions。
I say arising in their minds： I believe that I ought to say rather； stirred up
in their minds by One greater than they。 At all events； there they
appeared； utterly independent of any Christian teaching。 The belief in
this Logos or Daemon speaking to the Reason of man； was one which
neither Plutarch nor Marcus； neither Numenius nor Ammonius； as far as
we can see； learnt from the Christians； it was the common ground which
they held with them； the common battlefield which they disputed with
them。
Neither have we any reason to suppose that they learnt it from the
Hindoos。 That much Hindoo thought mixed with Neoplatonist
speculation we cannot doubt； but there is not a jot more evidence to prove
that Alexandrians borrowed this conception from the Mahabharavata； than
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that George Fox the Quaker； or the author of the 〃Deutsche Theologie；〃
did so。 They may have gone
