the city of the sun-第2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！


as　to　where　they　were　first　found；　what　are　their　powers　and
natures；　and　resemblances　to　celestial　things　and　to　metals；　to
parts　of　the　human　body　and　to　things　in　the　sea；　and　also　as
to　their　uses　in　medicine；　etc。　　On　the　exterior　wall　are　all　the
races　of　fish　found　in　rivers；　lakes；　and　seas；　and　their　habits
and　values；　and　ways　of　breeding；　training；　and　living；　the　pur…
poses　for　which　they　exist　in　the　world；　and　their　uses　to　man。
Further；　their　resemblances　to　celestial　and　terrestrial　things；
produced　both　by　nature　and　art；　are　so　given　that　I　was　as…
tonished　when　I　saw　a　fish　which　was　like　a　bishop；　one　like　a
chain；　another　like　a　garment；　a　fourth　like　a　nail；　a　fifth　like
a　star；　and　others　like　images　of　those　things　existing　among
us；　the　relation　in　each　case　being　completely　manifest。　　There
are　sea…urchins　to　be　seen；　and　the　purple　shell…fish　and　mus…
sels；　and　whatever　the　watery　world　possesses　worthy　of　being
known　is　there　fully　shown　in　marvellous　characters　of　paint…
ing　and　drawing。

　　　On　the　fourth　interior　wall　all　the　different　kinds　of　birds　are
painted；　with　their　natures；　sizes；　customs；　colors；　manner　of
living；　etc。；　and　the　only　real　phoenix　is　possessed　by　the　inhabi…
tants　of　this　city。　　On　the　exterior　are　shown　all　the　races　of
creeping　animals；　serpents；　dragons；　and　worms；　the　insects；
the　flies；　gnats；　beetles；　etc。；　in　their　different　states；　strength；
venoms；　and　uses；　and　a　great　deal　more　than　you　or　I　can　think
of。

　　　On　the　fifth　interior　they　have　all　the　larger　animals　of　the
earth；　as　many　in　number　as　would　astonish　you。　　We　indeed
know　not　the　thousandth　part　of　them；　for　on　the　exterior　wall
also　a　great　many　of　immense　size　are　also　portrayed。　　To　be
sure；　of　horses　alone；　how　great　a　number　of　breeds　there　is　and
how　beautiful　are　the　forms　there　cleverly　displayed！

　　　On　the　sixth　interior　are　painted　all　the　mechanical　arts；　with
the　several　instruments　for　each　and　their　manner　of　use　among
different　nations。　　Alongside；　the　dignity　of　such　is　placed；　and
their　several　inventors　are　named。　　But　on　the　exterior　all　the
inventors　in　science；　in　warfare；　and　in　law　are　represented。
There　I　saw　Moses；　Osiris；　Jupiter；　Mercury；　Lycurgus；　Pom…
pilius；　Pythagoras；　Zamolxis；　Solon；　Charondas；　Phoroneus；
with　very　many　others。　　They　even　have　Mahomet；　whom
nevertheless　they　hate　as　a　false　and　sordid　legislator。　　In　the
most　dignified　position　I　saw　a　representation　of　Jesus　Christ
and　of　the　twelve　Apostles；　whom　they　consider　very　worthy
and　hold　to　be　great。　　Of　the　representations　of　men；　I　per…
ceived　Caesar；　Alexander；　Pyrrhus；　and　Hannibal　in　the　high…
est　place；　and　other　very　renowned　heroes　in　peace　and　war；
especially　Roman　heroes；　were　painted　in　lower　positions；　under
the　galleries。　　And　when　I　asked　with　astonishment　whence
they　had　obtained　our　history；　they　told　me　that　among　them
there　was　a　knowledge　of　all　languages；　and　that　by　persever…
ance　they　continually　send　explorers　and　ambassadors　over　the
whole　earth；　who　learn　thoroughly　the　customs；　forces；　rule　and
histories　of　the　nations；　bad　and　good　alike。　　These　they　apply
all　to　their　own　republic；　and　with　this　they　are　well　pleased。
I　learned　that　cannon　and　typography　were　invented　by　the
Chinese　before　we　knew　of　them。　　There　are　magistrates　who
announce　the　meaning　of　the　pictures；　and　boys　are　accustomed
to　learn　all　the　sciences；　without　toil　and　as　if　for　pleasure；　but
in　the　way　of　history　only　until　they　are　ten　years　old。

　　　Love　is　foremost　in　attending　to　the　charge　of　the　race。　　He
sees　that　men　and　women　are　so　joined　together；　that　they　bring
forth　the　best　offspring。　　Indeed；　they　laugh　at　us　who　exhibit
a　studious　care　for　our　breed　of　horses　and　dogs；　but　neglect
the　breeding　of　human　beings。　　Thus　the　education　of　the　chil…
dren　is　under　his　rule。　　So　also　is　the　medicine　that　is　sold；　the
sowing　and　collecting　of　fruits　of　the　earth　and　of　trees；　agri…
culture；　pasturage；　the　preparations　for　the　months；　the　cook…
ing　arrangements；　and　whatever　has　any　reference　to　food；
clothing；　and　the　intercourse　of　the　sexes。　　Love　himself　is
ruler；　but　there　are　many　male　and　female　magistrates　dedi…
cated　to　these　arts。

　　　Metaphysic；　then；　with　these　three　rulers；　manages　all　the
above…named　matters；　and　even　by　himself　alone　nothing　is
done；　all　business　is　discharged　by　the　four　together；　but　in
whatever　Metaphysic　inclines　to　the　rest　are　sure　to　agree。


G。M。　　Tell　me；　please；　of　the　magistrates；　their　services　and
duties；　of　the　education　and　mode　of　living；　whether　the　gov…
ernment　is　a　monarchy；　a　republic；　or　an　aristocracy。


Capt。　　This　race　of　men　came　there　from　India；　flying　from
the　sword　of　the　Magi；　a　race　of　plunderers　and　tyrants　who
laid　waste　their　country；　and　they　determined　to　lead　a　philo…
sophic　life　in　fellowship　with　one　another。　　Although　the　com…
munity　of　wives　is　not　instituted　among　the　other　inhabitants
of　their　province；　among　them　it　is　in　use　after　this　manner：
All　things　are　common　with　them；　and　their　dispensation　is　by
the　authority　of　the　magistrates。　　Arts　and　honors　and　pleas…
ures　are　common；　and　are　held　in　such　a　manner　that　no　one
can　appropriate　anything　to　himself。

　　　They　say　that　all　private　property　is　acquired　and　improved
for　the　reason　that　each　one　of　us　by　himself　has　his　own　home
and　wife　and　children。　　From　this；　self…love　springs。　　For
when　we　raise　a　son　to　riches　and　dignities；　and　leave　an　heir　to
much　wealth；　we　become　either　ready　to　grasp　at　the　property　of
the　State；　if　in　any　case　fear　should　be　removed　from　the　power
which　belongs　to　riches　and　rank；　or　avaricious；　crafty；　and
hypocritical；　if　anyone　is　of　slender　purse；　little　strength；　and
mean　ancestry。　　But　when　we　have　taken　away　self…love；　there
remains　only　love　for　the　State。


G。M。　　Under　such　circumstances　no　one　will　be　willing　to
labor；　while　he　expects　others　to　work；　on　the　fruit　of　whose
labors　he　can　live；　as　Aristotle　argues　against　Plato。


Capt。　　I　do　not　know　how　to　deal　with　that　argument；　but
I　declare　to　you　that　they　burn　with　so　great　a　love　for　their
fatherland；　as　I　could　scarcely　have　believed　possible；　and　in…
deed　with　much　more　than　the　histories　tell　us　belonged　to　the
Romans；　who　fell　willingly　for　their　country；　inasmuch　as　they
have　to　a　greater　extent　surrendered　their　private　property。
I　think　truly　that　the　friars　and　monks　and　clergy　of　our　coun…
try；　if　they　were　not　weakened　by　love　for　their　kindred　and
friends　or　by　the　ambition　to　rise　to　higher　dignities；　would　be
less　fond　of　property；　and　more　imbued　with　a　spirit　of　charity
toward　all；　as　it　was　in　the　time　of　the　apostles；　and　is　now　in　a
great　many　cases。


G。M。　　St。　Augustine　may　say　that；　but　I　say　that　among　this
race　of　men；　friendship　is　worth　nothing；　since　they　have　not
the　chance　of　conferring　mutual　benefits　on　one　another。


Capt。　　Nay；　indeed。　　For　it　is　worth　the　trouble　to　see　that
no　one　can　receive　gifts　from　another。　　Whatever　is　necessary
they　have；　they　receive　it　from　the　community；　and　the　magis…
trate　takes　care　that　no　one　receives　more　than　he　deserves。　　Yet
nothing　necessary　is　denied　to　anyone。　　Friendship　is　recog…
nized　among　them　in　war；　in　infirmity；　in　the　art　contests；　by
which　means　they　aid　one　another　mutually　by　teaching。　　Some…
times　they　improve　themselves　mutually　with　praises；　with　con…
versation；　with　actions；　and　out　of　the　things　they　need。　　All
those　of　the　same　age　call　one　another　brothers。　　They　call　all
over　twenty…two　years　of　age；　fathers；　those　that　are　less　than
twenty…two　are　named　sons。　　Moreover；　the　magistrates　gov…
ern　well；　so　that　no　one　in　the　fraternity　can　do　injury　to　an…
other。


G。M。　　And　how？


Capt。　　As　many　names　of　virtues　as　there　are　among　us；　so
many　magistrates　there　are　among　them。　　There　is　a　magis…
trate　who　is　named　Magnanimity；　another　Fortitude；　a　third
Chastity；　a　fourth　Liberality；　a　fifth　Criminal　and　Civil　Justice；
a　sixth　Comfort；　a　seventh　Truth；　an　eighth　Kindness；　a　tenth
Gratitude；　an　eleventh　Cheerfulness；　a　twelfth　Exercise；　a　thir…
teenth　Sobriety；　etc。　　They　are　elected　to　duties　of　that　kind；
each　one　to　that　duty　for　excellence　in　which　he　is　known　from
boyhood　to　be　most　suitable。　　Wherefore　among　them　neither
robbery　nor　clever　murders；　nor　lewdness；　incest；　adultery；　or
other　crimes　of　which　we　accuse　one　another；　can　be　found。
They　accuse　themselves　of　ingratitude　and　malignity　when　any…
one　denies　a　lawful　satisfaction　to　another　of　indolence；　of　sad…
ness；　of　anger；　of　scurrility；　of　slander；　and　of　lying；　which
curseful　thing　they　thoroughly　hate。　　Accused　persons　under…
going　punishment　are　deprived　of　the　common　table；　and　other
honors；　until　the　judge　thinks　that　they　agree　with　their　cor…
rection。


G。M。　　Tell　me　the　manner　in　which　the　magistrates　are
chosen。


Capt。　　You　would　not　rightly　understand　this；　unless　you
first　learned　their　manner　of　living。　　That　you　may　know；　then；
men　and　women　wear　the　same　kind　of　garment；　suited　for　war。
The　women　wear　the　toga　below　the　knee；　but　the　men　above；
and　both　sexes　are　instructed　in　all　the　arts　together。　　When
this　has　been　done　as　a　start；　and　before　their　third　year；　the
boys　learn　the　language　and　the　alphabet　on　the　walls　by　walk…
ing　round　them。　　They　have　four　leaders；　and　four　elders；　the
first　to　direct　them；　the　second　to　teach　them；　and　these　are　men
approved　beyond　all　others。　　After　some　time　they　exercise
themselves　with　gymnastics；　running；　quoits；　and　other　games；
by　means　of　which　all　their　muscles　are　strengthened　alike。
Their　feet　are　always　bare；　and　so　are　their　heads　as　far　as　the
seventh　ring。　　Afterward　they　lead　them　to　the　offices　of　the
trades；　such　as　shoemaking；　cooking；　metal…working；　carpentry；
painting；　etc。　　In　order　to　find　out　the　bent　of　the　genius　of
each　one；　after　their　seventh　year；　when　they　have　already　gone
through　the　mathematics　on　the　walls；　they　take　them　to　the
readings　of　all　the　sciences；　there　are　four　lectures　at　each　read…
ing；　and　in　the　course　of　four　hours　the　four　in　their　order　ex…
plain　everything。

　　　For　some　take　physical　exercise　or　busy　themselves　with　pub…
lic　services　or　functions；　others　apply　themselves　to　reading。
Leaving　these　studies　all　are　devoted　to　the　more　abstruse　sub…
jects；　to　mathematics；　to　medicine；　and　to　other　sciences。　　There
are　continual　debate　and　studied　argument　among　them；　and
after　a　time　they　become　magistrates　of　those　sciences　or　me…
chanical　arts　in　which　they　are　the　most　proficient；　for　every…
one　follows　the　opinion　of　his　leader　and　judge；　and　goes　out
to　the　plains　to　the　works　of　the　field；　and　for　the　purpose　of
becoming　acquainted　with　the　pasturage　of　the　dumb　animals。
And　they　consider　him　the　more　noble　and　renowned　who　has
dedicated　himself　to　the　study　of　the　most　arts　and　knows　how
to　practise　them　wisely。　　Wherefore　they　laugh　at　us　in　that　we
consider　our　workmen　ignoble；　and　hold　those　to　be　noble　who
have　mastered　no　pursuit；　but　live　in　ease　and　are　so　many
slaves　given　over　to　their　own　pleasure　and　lasciviousne